Smart Yards Festival

The Second Annual Smart Yards Festival hosted by the Master Gardeners of Davidson County brought together people motivated to protect water and natural resources through stewardship actions in their yards. On Saturday, May 10, 2025, the Demonstration and Educational Gardens at the UT Extension Central Region Office was a fitting site for about 200 people to gather. Some had stewardship experience to share, some were seeking guidance and advice, and yet others were there representing community partners who promote stewardship throughout Davidson County and Middle Tennessee every day. The Gardens were a showcase of best practices and were a buzz with people connecting over a shared passion for healthy landscapes, clean water, and supporting biodiversity.

The festival was all about taking actions around the yard for the benefit of people and nature. Visitors learned from experts about how to recycle nutrients with home composting, the benefits of using rain barrels, and how to manage mosquitoes using a “mosquito bucket of doom.” All these actions earn inches on the yardstick, and a full yardstick is needed to certify as a Tennessee Smart Yard. At the “Certify Your Yard” table, Master Gardeners shared their experiences and enjoyment of having a certified Tennessee Smart Yard, one that is bustling with life and is in harmony with nature. Visitors not only got to envision their path to a certified yard, but they also got to hear about the work being done at the watershed scale from community partners such as the Harpeth Conservancy, Wild Ones Middle Tennessee Chapter, Nashville Waste Services, Metro Water Services, and Jo Brichetto/Sidewalk Nature. There were door prizes won, stories shared, and advice received. Even Mayor Freddie O’Connell stopped by and addressed the crowd with a warm message of unity through shared stewardship. 

Planning for the Third Annual Smart Yards Festival is already underway! For more on the program, visit https://tnyards.utk.edu. For timely information, follow us on Facebook and Instagram @tennesseesmartyards. For more photos of the event, visit https://tiny.utk.edu/smartyardsfestivaldavco2025. This event was hosted by the Master Gardeners of Davidson County and made possible through the partnership of UT Extension and Nashville Metro Water Services with support from the Tennessee Valley Authority.