Gardening Inspiration: Enter a Gardening Photo Contest

The sun is high, the breeze is warm, and summer is in full swing. Here at the Catholic Company, summer is the time of year we catch our breath after a busy First Communion and Confirmation gift-giving season. Now we're focusing on our fun summer products, like our new line of fine china and crystal giftware for the wedding season, Catholic games for the bored kids on summer break, and our new & improved selection of Catholic Garden Gifts.

We're also trying something completely new this summer . . .

Announcing The Catholic Company’s 1^st Annual Catholic Garden Photo Contest!

We always love seeing customer photos, and of course, flower photos are the best! The summer garden season is the perfect occasion for you to show off what you've done with your outdoor religious garden décor, and all the lovely plants you have growing nice and full around your statues. Our staff enjoys viewing the photo entries as they come pouring in, especially the part where we get to vote for our favorites (we take this responsibility very, very seriously).

The Catholic Company Catholic Garden Contest runs all summer long through Labor Day weekend, with the winner being announced before the end of September. The top prize is $100 gift card to The Catholic Company, with 3 runners-up receiving a $50 gift card. The bonus is that you have all summer to submit a photo, and with 4 prizes, your chances of winning are good!

Get Motivated:

For some, gift card prizes and fierce competition among green thumbs isn't enough to motivate. So, below is a reminder of the common health benefits of gardening. The gift card prizes and delight of winning The Catholic Company garden contest always comes secondary to these true rewards of gardening:

Gardening is good exercise: Ever see a sprightly 80 year old woman with a sunhat and a trowel working in her garden? Gardening is one of the best physical activities we can do for lasting health. And gardening isn't only for the elderly; it's also a great physical activity for kids, and for mom and dad too. Gardening gets you moving and working while enjoying the outdoors, and helps to bond families as they work together.
Gardening is a de-stresser: Exercise isn't the only physical benefit of gardening. Gardening gets us out of the house, disconnects us from the wires we stick in our ears, removes us from the screens in our faces, and absorbs us in nature instead. Smelling the flowers, listening to the birds, and digging our hands into the earth helps to release the stresses pinned up in our bodies. Nature does a body good!
Gardening teaches patience: We can't hit a button, click a mouse, or tap a screen to make a plant grow. We have to be thoughtful and intentional about which plants we choose to grow and where, and have the patience and tender loving care to help them bloom. With all that work comes a particular rewarding satisfaction that only comes at the price of time and patience.
Gardening encourages creativity: A great garden requires thought and color coordination, especially if you're tailoring around trees and sidewalks or mapping out some serious landscaping. How creative can you get? With all the variety of plants, shrubs, and trees, aesthetics plays a big part in making a garden beautiful.

Adding in a touch of religious décor to your outdoor garden transforms it into an inspirational retreat. With this encouragement, I hope you will look at your yard, balcony, or window box with renewed vigor to plant and conquer!

How To Enter:

To enter a photo in the Catholic Garden contest, email the digital photo to: yourfriends@catholiccompany.com. Don’t forget to include your name and contact information in the email. There are a few rules and disclaimers, so be sure to visit our contest page for more information. Our contest page also features samples of the Catholic garden photo entries so far. Check in to see what kind of gardening competition you’re up against!

If you haven't started gardening yet, you've still got plenty of time. We've already done tons of groundwork to get you inspired. Visit our Catholic Company Pinterest page where we've created a Marian Garden board as well as a Catholic Garden Ideas board, full of images from Catholic gardens around the web, how-to blogs, and lovely religious garden decor. View our great selection of Catholic garden gifts to find just the right inspirational touches for your garden.

Happy gardening, and happy snapping! We look forward to seeing your garden creations.