Not to brag, but my garden's looking pretty fine this week.

The flowering perennials, from roses to clematis, have more blooms all at once than I often see in a whole season.

My tropicals are growing hot and heavy, with huge lush foliage and flowers bursting forth like fireworks.

And my tomatoes, while still green, are so dense and numerous that I know I'll be enjoying a bumper crop once they start ripening.

Must be all the rain we had at just the right time, followed by lots of sun.

And if my haphazard garden is looking this good, I know there are a lot of gardens out there that are looking way better.

If you're proud of your garden, it's time to share it. Nominate it in our annual Beautiful Gardens contest. We know -- it's not Minnesotan to brag, but this is one time to make an exception. Anyone who can create a beautiful, bountiful garden in this climate deserves some recognition!

We're looking for all types of private residential gardens: both big and small, urban and rural, edible and ornamental. The winning gardens will be featured in the Star Tribune and online.

It's easy to nominate a garden -- yours or someone else's. Just send a short e-mail and a few snapshots to: beautifulgardens@startribune.com. Include the name of the gardener and contact information, along with a few words about what makes the garden special. Or mail your nomination to: Beautiful Gardens, Star Tribune Newsroom, 650 3rd Ave. S., Minneapolis MN 55488.

So show us what's growing out there! We'll be accepting nominations until July 20.