A popular annual competition which recognises green-fingered Sutton residents is set to return for another year.
Entries for Sutton in Bloom open this week and any resident in the borough can put themselves forward for the chance to win an award.
Prizes of garden vouchers are up for grabs for the winners and runners-up of five categories – Best Front Garden, Best Business Frontage, Best Allotment Garden, Best School Garden and Best Community Garden.
Dominic Aslangul, Assistant Parks Manager at Sutton Council, said:
“I’m delighted to see Sutton in Bloom return for yet another year as it always proves to be really popular with our residents, local schools and businesses.
“The best thing about the competition is that it’s a great way to say thank you and well done for the work of those green-fingered residents who take such pride in their area and play such a key part in helping to make Sutton such an attractive place to live.”
“If you know of an individual or an organisation’s garden you feel brightens up the borough, please encourage them to enter for an award to get the recognition they deserve?”
The awards, which are organised by Sutton Council, are supported by the Sutton Guardian, Times Square Shopping Centre, care company Right At Home, grocers The Carshalton Patch and Crossways Nursery.
Entries must be in by Friday 20 June 2014 and will be judged by the London Gardens Society, with the winners announced in July. Entry forms are available from libraries, theatres and council offices or downloaded from www.sutton.gov.uk.
The categories:
Best Front Garden
SPONSORED BY: Times Square Shopping Centre
We are looking for the best private residential front garden in Sutton. The judges will be looking for an attractive garden layout with a colourful display featuring any combination of hard landscaping, good quality bedding, herbaceous plants, shrubs, trees and lawns. Entries in this category must be visible to the passer-by and can include gardens with plants in pots and hanging baskets.
Winner: An Engraved Trophy and a £50 Garden Voucher
Runner-Up: £25 Garden Voucher
Best Business Frontage
SPONSORED BY: The Sutton Guardian
An opportunity for the owners of pubs, hotels, leisure facilities and business premises that take a pride in their buildings to be recognised for bringing a splash of colour to the neighbourhood with hanging baskets and eye-catching planting schemes.
Winner: £50 Garden Voucher
Runner-Up: £25 Garden Voucher
Best Allotment Garden
SPONSORED BY: The Carshalton Patch
There are numerous allotment plots throughout the borough and many are packed with tasty vegetables and colour from an array of stunning, sweet smelling blooms. This category aims to celebrate and reward those hard working gardeners who achieve excellent crops and beautiful plots.
Winner: £50 Garden Voucher
Runner-Up: £25 Garden Voucher
Best School Garden
SPONSORED BY: Crossways Nursery
This popular award as part of Sutton in Bloom aims to encourage and reward the efforts of youngsters involved in planting and maintaining a specific school garden or planting area as part of their curriculum or a gardening club. The judges will be looking for good design, use of plants and shrubs, the role of the garden as part of school life and its impact on the environment.
Winner: An Engraved Trophy and
£50 Garden Voucher.
Runner-Up: £25 Garden Voucher
Best Community Garden
SPONSORED BY: Right At Home
Awarded to either a group of gardens, frontages of buildings or area of ground where the displays have been created specifically for the shared benefit and enjoyment of others. This may include a street, square, close, cul-de-sac, community project, or the gardens of a care home, community centre or place of worship. The judges will be looking for displays which are well designed, provide an array of colour and encourage wildlife. Only one nomination per street, group of gardens or project.
Winner: £50 Garden Voucher
Runner-Up: £25 Garden Voucher