Sharing an alley with your neighbors or renting an apartment are party of city living. Alley gardens, however, are a rare occurrence. Beautifying such a small space requires a skilled hand; now is the time to nominate your friends and neighbors for garden awards across the Twin Cities. Here are a few of your options:

• Alley Garden Awards. For the past 24 years, the Macalester-Groveland Community Council has awarded people with green thumbs. From today until June 17^th, you can nominate your neighbors for the annual Alley Garden Awards. To nominate someone, you can either fill out a paper form in person at the Macalester-Groveland Community Council office or submit online. Judging will begin on June 23 and end on June 30.
• Metro Blooms. If you live in Minneapolis, you can also show appreciation for city gardens! Metro Blooms, a nonprofit organization, recognizes alley gardens, condo gardens, boulevard gardens, and more across the city of Minneapolis. Fill out the online submission form here. You have until June 8^th to submit your nomination.
• Blooming Saint Paul. The City of Saint Paul hosts five different awards for gardens and public art pieces within city limits. Blooming Saint Paul accepts nominations until June 24^th. This huge collaboration involves Saint Paul Parks and Recreation, the Saint Paul Garden Club, and the Ramsey County Master Gardeners. You can find the online submission form here.

If you stumble upon a gorgeous garden, we’d love to see it. Share it on Twitter or Instagram and tag it with #TwinCitiesBeauty. You can also share it on our Facebook page! We recognize that not all of us have green thumbs. The good news is, whether or not you’re a master gardener, we can help you keep your property neat. We’re able to remove yard waste, tree stumps, broken yard equipment and other hazards as you beautify your alley or garden. We can even get rid of tractor and large farm equipment if you live in rural areas. Feature Image: http://www.17apart.com/