In line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, a member of the Supreme Council and the Ruler of Sharjah, regarding the importance of agriculture, green spaces, and promoting gardening, Sharjah Municipality has unveiled the 17th edition of its Best Home Garden Award under the theme "My Garden, My Sharjah." This award allows residents of Sharjah to showcase the beauty of their home gardens.
Obeid Saeed Al Tunaiji, the Director-General of Sharjah Municipality, emphasized that the municipality initiated this award nearly 20 years ago to enhance the cultural and aesthetic aspects of Sharjah. The city is distinguished by its numerous agricultural projects spanning vast areas, enhancing its urban appearance with lush green spaces, diverse trees, shrubs, and coordinated flowers. Therefore, the municipality is keen on involving the community in expanding this greenery.
Al Tunaiji explained that the registration for participation in this award has opened, and applications will be accepted starting from Wednesday, January 17, 2024. Various channels, including the municipality's website and the hotline number 993, have been designated to receive applications. He noted that the award is exclusive to home gardens in Sharjah City, with the condition that the participating garden is accessible and ready for evaluation by the municipality's dedicated team. This team will study and follow up on all applications and conduct visits to the submitted gardens for assessment according to approved standards and evaluation criteria.
The Director-General highlighted that the award includes three categories: The Natural Garden category, where the natural style is applied, allowing the land to remain in its natural state, plants to grow without pruning, and pathways to flow naturally. The second category is the Geometric aspect, applying a geometric style where one form is repeated in a completely geometric system in different parts. The third category is the Creative or Mixed aspects, combining both natural and geometric styles, with the geometric style applied in areas near buildings or at the entrance, while the natural aspect is followed in the rest of the garden.
He affirmed that the award aims to engage the community in greening efforts, expanding green spaces, enriching the aesthetic dimensions of Sharjah, and fostering competition among residents in caring for their private gardens. The goal is also to educate the city's population about best practices in landscaping and decorative agriculture, encouraging residents to implement sustainable garden standards, such as water conservation, solar energy utilization, energy efficiency, and selecting plants suitable for the local environment. The initiative emphasizes security and safety aspects in gardens, aligning with global trends and adopting a systematic approach to conserve and develop the environment, reduce risks from harmful human practices, address contemporary challenges, climate change, and guide residents in garden coordination and design according to their diverse preferences.