As most Canadians watch their gardens thaw out after a long winter of snow and ice, British Columbia gardeners have seen many of their spring flowers come and go during a wonderful non-winter. Even with this dramatic diversity in weather, Canadian gardeners from coast to coast are preparing for the annual "Communities in Bloom" competitions which are judged in July and August.

Communities in Bloom is a non-profit Canadian organization committed to "fostering civic pride, environmental responsibility and beautification through community participation and the challenge of a friendly competition." It is designed to be a continuous community improvement program and is divided into distinct phases: Provincial, National and International. The program encourages involvement and action by citizens of all ages, municipal governments, local organizations and businesses. This national beautification program strives to improve the tidiness, appearance and visual appeal of Canada's neighbourhoods, parks, open spaces and streets through imaginative landscaping. Environmental awareness and preservation of heritage and culture are also important themes.

National beautification programs have flourished in Europe for decades. With this inspiration, Communities in Bloom began in 1995 with 29 Canadian communities. Now more than 100 national communities take part and hundreds of municipalities register in provincial editions.

Described as "more beauty than a contest," Communities in Bloom will send 40 expert, specially-trained volunteer judges across Canada during the summer to evaluate municipalities on eight key criteria:

• Tidiness
• Environmental Awareness
• Community Involvement
• Heritage Conservation
• Urban Forestry
• Landscaped Areas
• Floral Displays
• Turf and Ground Cover Areas

Provincial judges evaluate communities and award certificates with a rating of 1 to 5 Blooms (5 being the highest ranking) at a Provincial Awards Ceremony in the fall. The top two 4 or 5 Bloom communities in each Province will be invited to participate in the 2004 National Competition.

Since 1995, Communities in Bloom has been credited with both expected and unexpected benefits for participating communities and their citizens:

Published: April 22, 2003

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Futurist and Strategist PJ Wade is "The Catalyst" - intent on "Challenging The Best to Become Even Better." PJ earned this title by translating the dynamic impact of Boomers and their multi-generation families into relevant insights that start people thinking and taking action—in business and in life. Author of 8 books and more than 1800 published articles, PJ encourages individuals to become their own futurist. PJ writes and speaks about the insight, knowledge and solid decision-making skills that professionals and their clients need to live and work in this vortex of change. For instance, since PJ knows that home is headquarters for the new decades-long "unretirement," she wrote the popular book "Reverse Mortgages: Best Friend, Worst Enemy...Your Choice!", which is filled with suggestions and cautions on protecting, building and managing home equity. Her new business book, "What's Your Point?: Cut The Crap, Hit The Mark & Stick!" will be published in 2012. As The Catalyst, PJ provides strategic communication, client appreciation and advanced education services to the financial, tourism, lifestyle and service sectors - and the clients they serve. A frequently-quoted financial and business commentator, PJ is a thought-provoking strategic speaker who offers practical, real-life suggestions on leaving "the box" behind and embracing Forward Thinking - a talent she regularly demonstrates in this column. For more on keynotes, blogs, books and information on a range of 21st-Century topics, visit TheCatalyst.com.