Espoo will organise a garden competition, in summer 2026, to look for nature-wise gardens

Is your garden a haven for urban nature and people? The ‘Espoo’s nature-wise gardens’ competition is on the lookout for nature-wise gardens. They are enjoyed by people, pollinators, birds and other wildlife. 

A significant part of urban greenery is found in the gardens of detached and terraced houses, as well as in the shared courtyards of housing associations. At best, home gardens can be an important part of diverse urban nature. They also support the wellbeing of residents by creating pleasant oases in the built environment.

The garden competition is organised jointly by the Espoo City Planning Department and the Environment and Building Control Department, which includes the Nature House Villa Elfvik. The winners will be selected by the competition jury. The winners will be announced on Espoo Day, on 29 August 2026, and the winner of the garden competition will be awarded a €500 gift card to a garden centre. In addition, honourable mentions will be awarded, and a €100 garden centre gift card will be drawn among all participants. 

The gardens of the finalists and winners will be featured on the competition website, in autumn 2026, and in an exhibition that will open at the Nature House Villa Elfvik, in 2027.

The competition is intended for the gardens of residential and recreational buildings in Espoo. The garden may be, for example, a garden of a detached house, a private garden of a terraced house or apartment block or a shared courtyard of a housing association.

Don't hesitate to join the competition!
- We are hoping for all kinds of gardens to enter the garden competition. You can also participate in the competition with an area of your garden, that has solutions that promote biodiversity. Even small actions and choices can support biodiversity in the garden. Nature-wise choices in the garden may include, for example, a pollinator-friendly perennial bed, meadow area or a natural water feature. Even a small meadow can provide a home for endangered species and food for pollinators, says Landscape Architect Aino Leskinen.

The idea for the competition came from Aino Leskinen and Ina Westerlund, landscape architects at the City Planning Department. They also act as experts and assist the competition jury.
- With the help of the garden competition, we also collect inspiring examples of nature-wise gardens for the benefit, joy and inspiration of designers and all Espoo residents, says Landscape Architect Ina Westerlund.

The garden competition website (in Finnish) at www.espoo.fi/pihakisa contains all information about the garden competition. The entry form, which allows you to participate in the competition, can be found in the same place. You can participate in the competition until 15 July 2026. You can find the rules, more detailed tips and instructions for participating on the competition website.

A nature-wise garden offers a pleasant and comfortable outdoor space for the owner, but it also provides food, nesting places and shelter for several species and helps adapt to the challenges brought about by climate change. Vegetation makes the garden pleasant, creates cooling shades in the heat and evaporates water, which reduces the risk of flooding. You can invest in the wellbeing of your garden soil by composting garden waste, for example. Decaying wood and fences made of branches, on the other hand, provide habitats and nesting places even in a dense urban environment. Nature-wise actions can be big or small, and they are all important. 

There are plenty of tips for a nature-wise garden on the garden competition website – whether your garden is big or small, new or old, private or shared. Check out the tips, start planning your own nature-wise garden and join the garden competition!

Read more on the garden competition website (in Finnish only).