Awards & Tributes
Trillium Awards
2026 Program Dates
January to June
Monthly Advisory Working Meetings
June 1
Judge’s Registration portal closes
June 18
Judge’s (In Person) Orientation
June 19
Judge’s (Virtual) Orientation
12 pm to 1pm
July 1
Garden Nomination portal closes
July 2 to 6
Judge’s assignment process
July 6 to 20
White Trillium Judging
July 20
White Trillium Judges Scorecard Submission Deadline
July 21 to 25
White Judges Scorecard Evaluation Process
July 2 to August 10
White Awards Delivered
Pink Trillium Judging
August 10
Pink Trillium Judges Scorecard Submission Deadline
August 11 to 13
Pink Judges Scorecard Evaluation Process
August 16 to 24
Pink Awards Delivered, Pink Photo Consent and Photos
Red Trillium Judging
August 24
Red Trillium Judges Scorecard Submission Deadline
August 25 to 27
Red Judges Scorecard Evaluation Process
August 28
Red Winner Report emailed to Red Judges
August 29
Red Award Delivered (within 2 weeks)
September 15
Trillium Winners posted on Website
September 15
Judges Registration portal and Garden Nomination portal open
October (TBD)
Volunteer Appreciation / Trillium Celebration/ Conversation Cafe
November 12
Trillium Program Debrief, SWOT Analysis and Planning
Contact Us
Trillium Committee
Trillium Awards
Nominations & Judge Registrations
The Hamilton Trillum Awards Nominations and Judges Registrations for the 2026 season are now open!
The Trillium Awards Program, formally called The Hamilton Beautification Awards Program, was established in 1956. The program promotes and encourages community pride through the recognition of excellence in landscape design, maintenance and effort to beautify properties making a positive contribution to the City of Hamilton. Review Trillium Award Winners
Trillium Awards
Program Details
Nominate your own garden or get together with your friends and neighbours and find beautiful front yard gardens in your neighbourhood and nominate them for a chance to win a Hamilton Trillium Award.
Garden Nominations and Judges Registration are now open.
Trillium Judges Registration & Garden Nomination
Be sure to answer all of the questions and hit submit, Judging will begin in July!
Awards for Ancaster Residents
The Ancaster Horticultural Society operates a Ward 12 specific program and have confirmed that their program is running this year. If your garden is located in Ancaster, check your local Horticultural Societies for information on the Trillium Awards program. Visit the Ancaster Horticultural Society.
Judging Townhouse Complexes
Complexes must be on a public laneway to be judged, or must be an outside unit facing onto a public sidewalk or road. If your complex does not receive municipal waste services then you are on a private laneway and cannot be judged.
White Level
Nominated gardens in the City are judged and the top 20 scored gardens in each ward is awarded with a White Trillium Award.
Pink Level
Gardens awarded with a White Trillium Award are judged and the top score in each ward is awarded with a Pink Trillium Award.
Red Trillium Award
The most prestigious horticultural award in Hamilton. All gardens that are awarded a Pink Trillium are judged by an appointed panel, including the Red Trillium winner from the previous year and six experts in the field of horticulture.
The Red Award Category will be judged in person, Red Judges will visit the 14 Pink Trillium Award winning gardens, they will review and virtually score each garden, through an online scorecard. The scores will be tallied and presented to the Red Judges Panel. The Red Trillium Winner will be announced in October at the Hamilton Trillium Awards Celebration.
Red Trillium Award winners are not eligible for any Trillium awards (white, pink or red) for 5 subsequent years. If the property ownership changes, the new owner must apply in writing (via the committee) to be eligible for judging before the 5-year period is finished. This policy came into effect in 2015.
Community Trillium Award
Formally known as the Awards of Excellence Corporate Program
Community Trillium Awards can be awarded to industrial, commercial, institutional, small businesses, churches, schools, community centres, apartment buildings, condominium complexes and multi-residential properties across the City of Hamilton. Community Trillium Awards enhance residents’ pride and sense of community through revitalization, restoration, and regeneration.
What kinds of gardens are included in the Trillium scope?
All front yard gardens are to be inclusive to homeowners and renters alike, you can nominate within our residential program stream. Also, businesses, commercial, multi-residential apartment buildings, condominiums, community centers and industrial gardens can be nominated for a Community Trillium Award, within our community program stream.
Can town houses and private gated communities participate?
Unfortunately, no, our volunteers can not judge gardens on private property, the front yard garden must be viewable from the street/sidewalk. Only, if your town home is along the outside of the complex and viewable from the public sidewalk, it can be included.
Do the judges walk around the residence’s front garden to view it?
The judges do not walk around the front garden. They view it from the public sidewalk. The front yard garden must be viewable from the street/sidewalk. Where there is a long driveway to the house, it can be difficult to complete an assessment of the garden. Judges do not walk up driveways.
Do I need to know the owner’s name to nominate a garden?
It is mandatory to include a name in the nomination, so please use your name. When Judges score a public nomination, they will leave a card informing the nominee, if the nominees choose not to participate, they can contact the email on the card and request their garden to be removed from the list.
Are side gardens included in the judging where there are corner properties?
The Trillium scope is a front yard garden viewable from the street. Where the side garden is viewable from a straight-on front street view, it will be included.
How long does it take to judge a garden?
Typical viewing/assessment times are between 10 to 20 minutes for a garden. Judges use an online criterion and rubric form. They have been trained and are skilled in making an assessment. The Judging Criteria is available on the Hamilton Trillium Awards website.
How do you decide the residence’s front garden – is where the house number is?
There are 2 possible front gardens – the part of the house with the number on it, or the part of the house with the front door. The judges look to see where the front seems most likely and use that for judging. This accommodates newer housing sections where the house number is on one street with the garage and the front door is around the corner.
Are artificial plants a detriment in the judging criteria?
The presence of artificial plants can be a solution for a porch or balcony situation where there is low light. In particular, artificial boxwood is sometimes used in these settings. Artificial flowers can integrate as accent features in the landscape or the container. However, the use of artificial flowers and plants as substitutes for living garden material is discouraged.
Is artificial turf allowed?
Artificial turf is discouraged as a major feature in residential gardens. The Trillium program recognizes beautiful front-yard gardens, and recommends natural, living material in a natural environment. When artificial turf is used extensively and is noticeable as a feature on the landscape, it may be considered a disqualification.
How do judges assess different sized properties – particularly small gardens?
Judging different sized properties takes skill and expertise. Judges receive training in applying the assessment criteria in a consistent way. One might think that a small garden has a better chance of scoring higher – for example it likely is less effort and time to maintain to high standards. However, in a small garden the effect of each plant and element is critical. One plant out of scale has a medium to high impact. This is the case for mismatched or poor colour integration. Each item contributes to balance, unity and harmony. In a large garden, one plant or element out of place would not have a high impact on the design. In this scenario, groupings and flow of plants and elements are evaluated.
Can a garden get a Trillium every year?
Yes, there currently are no limitations to the number of White or Pink Trilliums a garden can receive. The exception is the Red Trillium Award winning gardens, a Red Trillium Award winner can only win every five years.
If a house is recently purchased can it receive a Trillium?
Yes, there are currently no rules disqualifying a garden because it has been recently purchased.
Is there a way for the public to choose the best gardens in Hamilton?
There currently isn’t a popular choice award. We are looking into the possibility of a popular vote and will keep you up to date on any developments.
Can I submit a nomination after the July 1 deadline?
In short, No. We work on extremely tight timelines to manage the data, organize assignments, and task our Volunteer Judges. Nominations open again for the following year, once the seasons judging is complete.
How do I know if my garden should participate?
Do you love your garden? If you do you should self nominate and if you love your neighbours garden, you should nominate them too! Look at the Judges Criteria on the Hamilton Trillium Awards website for more information and insight.
How do I become a Trillium Judge, and do I need experience?
You do not need to have any experience, we will train you and provide you all of the tools you’ll need to get the job done! If you are interested in becoming a Trillium Judge, please fill out our online Judges registration form available on the Hamilton Trillium Awards website, this is required for returning Judges and new Judges.
Are professionally designed and professionally cared for gardens allowed to be nominated?
The Program allows all front yard gardens to be nominated - regardless of the designer or caretaker. This program recognizes and supports gardeners in all forms. There is no distinction based on ownership or garden activity.
Are there requirements for a front garden to have flowers (annuals or perennials) to be able to get a Trillium Award?
Yes, gardens must have pollinator plants and native species, inclusive to our new Biodiversity category. Invasive species are discouraged for more information visit Invasive species in Ontario.
What if my house isn’t as attractive or as new as other houses?
This is an important question as people are certainly influenced by the style and size of façade of a house in general. There are three activities in judging the garden:
- We ask the judges to look at the front yard putting their hand over the house and evaluate it.
- We ask the judges to look at the front yard in context of the house as input to unity, harmony, balance and proportion.
- We ask the judges to look at the maintenance of a house as part of the property. The front walk way, stairs and driveway should be in good repair, as should fences, gates and other external property features.
How many Trilliums are awarded?
Approximately 323 Trillium Awards can be won each year!
- 20 White Trillium Awards per ward
- 1 Pink Trillium Award per ward
- 1 Red Trillium for the entire City of Hamilton
- 2 Community Trillium Awards per ward for Multi-residential, Businesses and Industry
Are the gardens all judged at the same time? Can my garden be judged earlier or later?
No. The schedule is as follows:
- White Trillium Judging July
- White Awards Delivered & Pink Trillium Judging July – August
- Community Trillium Awards July - August
- Red Trillium Judging August
- Winners listed on website in September
How important is the condition of the grass in my front yard? Does it have to be completely weed-free and what about brown spots? What happens when there is a drought?
No and no! While there are certainly some Trillium winners with excellent to outstanding front lawns, we recognize an increasing concern and urgency to act for our environment. Managing our water usage, reducing pesticide and herbicides are a must to protect our pollinators, birds, insects and even our pets. There isn’t a mechanism to check for herbicide or pesticide free lawns in the judging, so for now, we must leave it with residents to be good stewards of our natural resources.
Can a garden be disqualified?
There are two criteria for disqualification: front yard garden not viewable from the street and nominated garden does not give permission.
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