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THIS IS THE OFFICIAL PAGE OF THE $16,000 ULTIMATE BACKYARD MAKEOVER GIVEAWAY HOSTED BY BACKYARD GIVEAWAY AND SPONSORED WQ|MAG.SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE

Please Read The Rules And The Sponsors On This Page.
You must be a WQ|mag Member to Enter. Not A Member? Join By Clicking Here It's Free To Join!

Hosted by Backyard Getaway www.backyardgetaway.net

The Backyard Getaway is a family owned and operated service and retail pond & water garden business that grew from a hobby into a passion. Let us add the peace and tranquility of flowing water to your backyard and enhance your landscape with a unique water feature. Whether you prefer a Koi pond, a water garden with beautiful lilies, pondless waterfall or even a pet friendly pond for your dog, we will create your perfect getaway in your own backyard. We offer pond installation, maintenance & restoration services.
Do-it-yourselfers order your pond equipment & supplies online or call us for local delivery in Manatee & Sarasota Counties. Koi & Aquatic plants are available for viewing by appointment. We carry a full line of pond & water garden products from Liner & Pumps to Filters & UVs. We also carry water treatments, lighting, water lilies, aquatic plants, live Koi & koi food. Our customers are our number one priority & we will be happy to walk you through & show you step by step how to install your water feature.

Ask about our free garden clinics,hands on pond build classes, our annual parade of ponds water garden tour & our Backyard Friends Club. If you would like to see one of our water garden creations contact us & we will be happy to give you an address to visit. Call today for your pond consultation.

Backyard Getaway
Your Complete Pond Source & More..
(941) 752-POND (7663)
www.backyardgetaway.net
[e-mail]
Donating: Water Garden.




Other Sponsors and Contributors:


Your Green Home Resource
[phone]
www.steffm.weebly.com
[e-mail]

Your Green Home Resource educates and coaches families as to what steps they can take and supports them as they begin the journey to reducing their carbon footprint. We do not force anyone into a choice they are not comfortable with, and we do not judge if a family decides they are not ready to take a particular step at this time. It is a learning process, and one action leads to another.
Donating: Complete home consultation


All Phases Welding
2415 10th St. Ct. E.
Ellenton, FL 34222
941-723-6800
www.AllPhasesWeld.com
[e-mail]

All Phases Welding & Fabrication Inc. is a local business based out of Ellenton, FL. in Manatee County. We are a residential and commercial welding company that has over 15 years of experience in all aspects of welding. Our quality workmanship is currently building our reputation as one of Manatee Counties premiere welding contractors and we hope to expand that throughout the state. We specialize in carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum. We are portable as well and are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for emergency needs.
Donation: two one of a kind solar lamp posts



D & T Handy Girlz
Home Preservation Specialist
941-713-1387
[e-mail]

15 years experience with commercial & residential properties Securing, cleaning & maintaining foreclosed properties. For prompt, dependable & courteous service
call Doris or Terry.
Donating: Landscaping & landscape plantings



HYDRO-STACKER LLC
941-322-9602
www.hydrostacker.com
[e-mail]

HYDRO-STACKER LLC is the original patented inventor and holder of the vertical hydroponic growing system. The HYDRO-STACKER system is water saving (as much as 400 percent over tradidtional growing methods & does not use traditional insecticides or fungicides because of the growing medium that is used. The HYDRO-STACKER system only uses three quarts of water for twenty plants in fourteen square inches of growing area. Production for food can increase over normal growing to 4 to 5 times more food. The HYDRO-STACKER system has a Lifetime Warranty.
Donating: two installed stack automatic feed systems



Premier Video Productions, Inc.
(800)-716-5692
(941)-753-1910
[e-mail]
www.pvvideo.com
Established in 1989 by LaJuana Pruitt, offers full service video production from the conception of your project to finished delivery. We videotape in digital and HD, serving both local & national cliental ranging from the legal & medical communities to fine arts & entertainment.
Donating: video of makeover



Ryland's Rustics
[phone]
[e-mail]
Pat Gormley, Artist
Creating one of a kind wall & garden art using 100% recycled materials
Donating: One of a kind garden art


Historic Sheds
[phone]
www.historicshed.com
[e-mail]
Historic Shed was founded by the historic preservation professionals at to meet the needs of historic-home owners for affordable and attractive additional space that complements and enhances their historic property. We also offer hard to find accessory products for your historic building, including window screens, wood screen, doors, foundation lattice and gates.
Donating: Garden shed



NDC Carpentry
[phone]
[e-mail]
General contractors specializing in custom interiors. Kitchens, Baths, Windows, Doors, Custom trim, Arbors & Decks.
Donating: arbor



Eco Essentials
[phone]
Jodi John
[e-mail]

Offering rain barrels, earth boxes, worm farming & organic Shitake Mushroom buying club.A 1” rainfall generates about half gallon of water per square foot of roof area.
Donating: rain barrel




Tampa Bay Landscape Lighting
By Decorating Elves
(866)-445-6202
www.tampabaylandscapelighting.com
www.decoratingelves.com
Decorating Elves was started as a small business venture by Nick Schriver to help homeowners Avoid the Holiday Hassle. With hard work and dedication Decorating Elves has grown to be the premier outdoor lighting & event decorating company specializing in Christmas lighting & holiday decor.
Donating: Standard Landscape Lighting Package with 10 fixtures and 1 transformer



PAVING CREW, INC
2150 17TH ST,
Sarasota, FL 34234
941-360-0203
FAX [phone] [e-mail]
www.pavingcrew.com
Paving Crew specializes in installation of interlocking brick pavers, old Chicago pavers and retaining walls. We are a licensed and insured company, full staffed to meet the specific requirements for residential and commercial projects. We have in house crews that can handle any kind and any size jobs, knowing that customer service is very important, we schedule all repairs for the very next day. We also offer pressure cleaning and sealing of any paver application already in place.
Donation: Paver patio & retaining wall with seating



FL Native plant nursery
[phone]
www.floridanativeplants.com
Florida Native Plants, Inc.was founded as Florida Scrub Growers, and has committed itself to growing native plants since 1982. The plants we grow originate from seeds and cuttings from Florida and therefore include species that are adapted to our heat, humidity, drought, flooding and frosts.
Donating: Plants for alternative lawn choices & butterfly garden basics



Michelle Donner Photography
[phone]
www.michelledonnerphotography.blogspot.com
[e-mail]
I decided in the beginning of 2009 to live my passion... Now, Michelle Donner Photography has been launched. I will photograph and record your small events Now offering portrait sittings. I love what I do, and would love to make you smile.
Donating: publicity shots/portrait



The Hive Creations &
Anna Mariki Tiki
9908 Gulf Dr. Suite C
Anna Maria, Island Fl. 34216
941.778.7432
www.thehivestore.com
The Hive Creations is a unique place to visit on the north end of Anna Maria Island, FL! Established in 2007, it is filled with hand-carved tiki's and tiki-style decor, one-of-a-kind silk screened American Apparel, handcrafted jewelry, organic candles, beautiful wall pieces, and artwork. Everything in the shop is handmade by artists local and regional.
Donating: Two 3' hand carved Tiki



Shade Sails, Inc.
donated a 12'x12' shade sail. (These are very cool for Florida)



The Gulf Coast Plumeria Society
donating a couple of Plumeria Trees





SPECIFIC RULES FOR THIS CONTEST:
* You Must Be A WQ|mag member to Enter. Not a Member? Join Here It is free to Join.

*Entires must live in Sarasota or Manatee County, Florida.

*Must own your home & be 18 years or older to enter.

*If home is in deed restricted community it is owners responsibility to get permission for makeover from homeowners association.

*Family & employees of participating companies not eligible to enter.

*Maximum area for makeover is 1200 sq. ft. (You can still enter if your yard is larger or smaller but the max area to be made over is 1200sf)

*You must send a photo (Size of photo should be 500 pixels wide or less) & 100 words or less of why you want this makeover. (entries will be judged on originality & humor).

*Backyard Getaway & WQ magazine can not be held responsible for any companies or items that may back out of contest

*Only one entry per person.

*NO purchase necessary

*You can nominate someone else, but all above rules apply.

*Top 10 finalist will be chosen by the host & sponsor

*Finalist will be posted on www.wqmag.com where the winner will be chosen by public voting.

*You can vote once daily during voting period.

Dates to remember


*Entry Dates: August 1st- August 31st, 2009

*Top Ten Finalists Announced: September 3, 2009

*Vote for finalists: September 3 - September 18th, 2009

*Winner Announced: September 23rd, 2009

*Makeover scheduled during the month of October

Please read the General Rules which apply to all Contests, Giveaways and Sweepstakes.



ENTER BY SUBMITTING YOUR INFORMATION IN THE REPLY BOX BELOW

[Gale]

Wendy Aronson Moore said:

Welcome to our Garden of Weedin’! This backyard needs an expert to bring it to it’s full potential. I don’t want to be labeled “The Terminator”, but many of my plants are on death row because I’ve made the wrong choices for our southern exposure and using Weed n Feed on the lawn might leave nothing but sand!
We built our house 20 years ago intending to add a pool; unfortunately other expenses like putting two sons through college took priority; we’re hoping you’ll vote to give us this makeover to finally have a backyard we are not ashamed of.

[kathy gray]

My husband & I just bought our first home. I'm 52 yrs old & never owned. The house is a "dream come true" & we absolutely love it! It came with no appliances, which we had to purchase & several major repairs have come up. We rented the same place for 12 yrs & had a wonderful Tiki Hut & a 2500 gallon Koi pond. Our intentions were to focus on our new pond but the repairs have depleted cash flow. Therefore, the pond has been put on hold. We spend most of our time outside after work & truly miss our Koi pond.

[Fedra West]

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"And you thought your trash was sacred!" One mans trash is another mans treasure, right? So my mom's husband thinks! It's got to be good for something! He'll fix it up, like brand new. Maybe, just maybe one of these days, weeks, months or years... In the mean time, my mom surely cannot go out and enjoy her pool/backyard. And forget about having a family party! She tries to clean it, or hire people to help her-but she can only do so much. BEFORE IT RETURNS!!! Is there therapy included in the makeover? Because he may need help!

[Tracy ONeill]

Ahhh. The Florida life. Baby blue skies, a green, insect free lawn, multi-colored tropical plants, the sound of a trickling waterfall in the background, and a large hammock gently swinging in the breeze under the shade of palm trees. Wait! That’s my neighbors’ yard. I abruptly wake up; covered in dirt and dog drool, after tripping in a hole I thought I just buried poop in. Maybe I slipped on the wet leaves used as a disguise to cover the fact that we have no grass. Help! My yard needs a makeover.

[Michelle]

The listing enticed: "Hansel and Gretel path to charming guest house". Shadows danced seductively from oak canopies. "I must have this house. I won't look at any others!" I was shushed by my Realtor, but too little, too late. It was love at first sight... SUCKER!

Single female with intensive travel schedule harbors delusions of green-thumb grandeur, tendency to wander thru back yard with drink in-hand, overwhelmed and shaking head. Seeks rescue by team of daring professionals to produce desperately needed backyard getaway. No guarantee that "guest house" (aka Airstream) does not contain raccoon family or stray Ringling art students…

[Barbie]

My yard must be Movie because one week it is an Old Western "ALL ROUND-UP" other weeks its a secret mission guessing game like 18-24-6 or 29-0-5. I'm not sure if I am a homeowner or a chemist. Even though it large and green getting a handle on it has been rough in the 3 1/2 years of ownership. Prior owner felt the need to just plant..plant..plant, now all I do is weed..weed..weed. I was recently told I may need to schedule a double knee replacement and that makes me DESPERATE for help. Please rescue me before I see the signs of the next showing of "Jungle Book".

[Craig]

GEORGE (Black): Hi! I'm George!
RESA (Golden): I'm Resa.
BOTH: THAT'S our "BACKYAAARDDD".
GEORGE: A crappy ugly "BACKYARD"!
RESA: Our "dad" tries everything.
GEORGE: Seeding. . . . .fertilizing. . .. . .watering!
RESA: HAHA!! He's gone crazy over it. The other night he was praying to WIN a BACKYARD MAKEOVER!!???! What's up with that?
GEORGE: Maybe he's been into our biscuits or sniffing your poop again, Resa!! That "odor" will set you FREEEEEEEEEE!
RESA: That’s gross! BACKYARD isn’t for him tho’. It’s for playing, family cook-outs and US. . . We have a pretty cool house, except for. . .
BOTH: THAT "BACKYARD"!
RESA: Built in 1925 in Gillespie Park. Has lots of history.
GEORGE: Yeah, a "SAND-LOT" of history! HA! Get it??
RESA: Feel sorry for the old guy. Won't have anyone over because of our "BACKYARD"! We really want to give him something, but we're just dogs.
GEORGE: But smart dogs! So we signed him up for this BACKYARD MAKEOVER CONTEST, yah see! Shhh, he doesnt know it. . .We wanna surprise him...so we're "begging" you to PLEASE "fetch" us a real BACKYARD.
RESA: We know its ugly! So c'mon gals and guys, throw us a bone here! Pick our UGLY BACKYARD TO WIN!
BOTH: ARF!

[Craig]

MORE OF GEORGE AND RESA'S UGLY "BACKYARD"!

[Diane]

Our backyard has an old garage built about the same time as our home, 1924. Well-used by husband and son for fix-it projects, bike and lawnmower tinkering, etc., there’s a wide expanse of yard space begging for refurbishment. Daughter (20) would die for space where she and her friends could hang out and solve the world’s problems. Son (14) relishes the thought of a place to congregate with his buddies and newly discovered girlfriends to talk about how their parents know nothing. Husband and I long for a backyard retreat to spend alone time, couple time, and time entertaining friends.

[Terri]

On behalf of my 5 "four legged babies", I've been asked to enter your backyard makeover contest! Until last week, I had six, but I lost my Rocky to a sudden illness. Three of my six are rescue dogs!

I would love to provide for them a "Doggie Paradise"... Florida Style. I envision a mini "Water Park' for dogs. They could invite their canine as well as their toddler friends over for a romp in the pond, while mom and dad sit on the edge dangling their toes in the water.

We have a fenced "dog area", that the dogs don't like very much. They complain constantly that the grass is too high or y'know....WET! I think a yard with rounded pebbles (paw pads are delicate)or recycled rubber pellets instead of grass would provide a safe low maintenance solution to grass and bugs. An awesome awning over a platform or "deck" would provide a place to sprawl out, belly up after frolicking in the water, without worrying about getting too much sun.
We all sleep every night to the sound of an "electronic waterfall" on the night stand next to "our bed". How awesome would it be to open the sliding doors to the master bedroom on our cool Florida winter nights and listen to our very own REAL waterfall right outside our door!
I often say our dogs do not live in OUR HOUSE, but rather we live in their DOG HOUSE! They rightly feel that it is only fitting to extend their domain to the backyard where they can escape from the mundane daily duties of being ON GUARD! They do take turns, and have assigned shifts, but now that Rocky is no longer with us....they've had to double up on the time they have to "work". This backyard makeover would be greatly appreciated as a place to relax after a long day of duty! Did I mention they also are canine crooners? If you could hear them now, they are singing at the top of their lungs to PLEASE VOTE FOR US! I thank you and so do Odie, Baby Girl, Fluffy, Wookie and Princess Zelda.

PS: Attached is a Picture of all six of us playing in a pool tournament. It sure is a dogs life!

[Crystal Stephens]

My husband and I were married this year on May 9th!! I feel blessed to have not only locked in my soul-mate, but we were also able to move into our first real house!!!
In return for having an amazing design and location we went with a fixer-upper:) We have been so busy creating our “Dream Home” that the yard has not been touched. We need your help with the back so we can start concentrating on the front!!!
We are worried our nice neighbors with their beautifully maintained yards might be getting frustrated with our landscaping skills:( PLEASE HELP!!!!

[Crystal Stephens]

By the way...we followed the rules...EXACTLY 100 words!! :)