Peralta couple wins Valencia Extension Master Gardeners’ yard contest

Lynn and John Taylor of Peralta won the June 2026 Valencia Extension Master Gardeners’ Yard & Garden Contest, taking home a $100 cash prize and a yard sign for a garden built over years. Their yard, with several courtyard areas and a mix of native and desert-friendly plants alongside colorful flowering favorites, fits a county where water availability and landscape choices carry real weight.

The Taylor property stands out because it is more than a quick curb-appeal project. It reflects years of attention, with outdoor space arranged for relaxation as well as looks, and with planting choices that suit Valencia County’s heat and soil conditions better than a broad stretch of turf would. The contest’s emphasis on practical, climate-conscious yards makes the Taylors’ win a visible example of how homeowners in Peralta and across the county can lower water use without giving up color or character.

The contest is open to all Valencia County residents at no cost to enter, and a new winner is selected each month. The 2026 contest dates were June 20, July 25, August 22 and September 19, with entries due three days before each posted judging date. Valencia County Extension Master Gardeners said the contest is meant to reward local gardeners and make the community more beautiful. The group is part of the New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service, which provides practical, research-based programs for local residents.

David Cooley said, “This will be the third year we have had the contest.” That gives the yard competition a little local history, and it also helps explain why the monthly wins are starting to function as a kind of neighborhood benchmark for what works in the county’s climate.

A 2025 winner story showed the range of approaches that can draw notice, including drought-tolerant plantings, raised-bed vegetables, fruit trees, pollinator plants, bird houses and garden art. That mix suggests the contest is not only about neat front yards, but about gardens that save water, support wildlife and still look finished enough to add value at the curb.