The Council of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality approved the holding of the first Garden Competition in Ekurhuleni in the Eastern Region in 2007. The event was arranged as a pilot project in the Eastern Region during January and February 2007. A task team was convened to organize the event.

In order to encourage a broad spectrum of participation in the garden competition cash prizes were offered to entrants for gardens attaining the highest points in each of the six categories. The “Garden Competition 2007” was a resounding success. Eighty eight gardens entered in the competition. The winners received cash prizes plus a certificate.  Consolation prizes were awarded for:

• The most Innovative Community Garden Idea;
• The Most Colourful New Garden;
• The Most Waterwise Garden;
• And two prizes for Special Effort.
  

The S.A. Gardening magazine sponsored the consolation prizes and Flora Farm in Boksburg sponsored the venue for the prize giving that was held on a Saturday morning in March.

In January / February 2008 the EMM Garden Competition ran over the whole Metro. Task Teams were set up in each of the three regions to organize the competition with a steering committee for overseeing the project. Two additional categories were introduced to the competition in an effort to encourage greater participation. The steering committee was responsible for the final judging and organizing the prize giving function.

A total of 105 gardens were entered in the competition in 2008 with 55 from the East, 24 from the South but only 14 from the North. Several new sponsors came on board in 2008.
The S. A. Gardening magazine again sponsored consolation prizes as well as the Garden Pavilion, Instant Trees and Flora Farm nursery. The prize giving again took place at Flora Farm on a Saturday morning in March.

The 2008 Garden Competition organizing teams was recommended for “Team of the Year” for the Ekurhuleni Employee Excellence Awards. The team was one of four finalists at a function on 14 November 2008.

After the competition a post mortem was undertaken in order to determine any failings in how the competition was organized and improvements that could be implemented.