Allotment/Vegetable Garden

• Health and vigour of plants; absence of pests and diseases; no/few weeds present; evidence of pruning, support of plants; size and quality of crop.  Good range of vegetables, fruit in season and possibly flowers, in particular companion planting and pollinators.

• Well planned layout to maximise space for growth and maintaining plot in good order

• Sustainability i.e. rainwater management/soil management/plant waste management

• Free from rubbish, clean and tidy with well-kept pathways and high level of cultivation

• Use of companion planting, manure, composting etc.

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Nature Champions

• The site is being positively managed for Nature Conservation open to businesses, community groups, churches and public spaces.

• Innovative ways of informing and educating the wider community

• Overall impression and how the project contributes to the wider community

• As part of the entry process, please provide us with a brief outline describing the project objectives and achievements.  This should be no more than 300 words and can include images.  Include information such as  -

  • What is your group objective? What was your starting point and what do you hope to achieve? What aspects of nature conservation are you addressing and why?

  • Do you have community involvement and engagement? Do you support other groups or organisations? What impact does this support have?

  • Tell us about issues that you have encountered over the past year and how these have been dealt with?

  • How does your garden/project contribute to the wellbeing of the community?

  • How does your project improve the ecosystem services (soil, water and air quality, and pollination) of the site and contribute to climate change mitigation?

  • How does your project contribute to biodiversity enhancement (click here) and connectivity in your local area?

  • How are you dealing with the management of invasive species?

  • Do you avoid burning vegetation waste?

  • How do you approach nature conservation awareness of rare and endangered species?​

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Neighbourhood Project

• The garden contributes to the wellbeing of the community

• Innovation and use of space

• Additional features/overall impression

• When the judges visit, they will be interested to hear about -

  • Your group’s objectives and how the project has evolved over the last year

  • How you involve your community in your project? Do you work with or support other groups or organisations?

  • How your garden/project contributes to the wellbeing of the community

  • Issues that you have encountered/resolved over the past year

  • Innovative ways you have introduced climate change, conservation measures and community awareness to your project

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Pub or Business in Bloom

• Quality/maintenance of plants: Health and vigour of plants

• Range and diversity of plants for all year-round interest including plants that attract biodiversity
  (Click here for help and advice).  Inclusion of aspects of greening

• Quality of design/use of space: Well-planned design relative to space. Include appropriate use of hard landscape

• Effective use of colour/texture/form: Does the garden/project/feature make an impact in a pleasing way

• Sustainability: Use of mulches, drought resistant planting, approach to pest and disease management / wilding and connectivity with areas of biodiversity etc

• Additional features/overall impression - has anything innovative been done to enhance the overall impression given.

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Front Garden –

This category is divided into two sections, large and small front gardens.  Please choose the appropriate category for your garden on the entry form.

• Well- planned design relative to space, including appropriate use of hard landscape

• Good use of colour/texture/form: Does the garden make an impact in a pleasing way

• Quality and maintenance of plants. Range and diversity of plants that complement each other and provide interest throughout the year. Inclusion of plants that attract biodiversity.

• Sustainability and climate change.  Use of mulches, drought resistant planting, approach to pest and disease management / wilding and connectivity with areas of biodiversity etc

• Additional features/overall impression has anything innovative been done to enhance the overall impression given.

Container Garden

• Well planned design relative to space.  Use of containers that enhance the planting and situation.

• Good use of colour/texture/form: Do the containers make an impact in a pleasing way

• Quality and maintenance of plants. Range and diversity of plants that complement each other and provide interest throughout the year. Inclusion of plants that attract biodiversity.

• Sustainability and climate change.  Use of mulches, drought resistant planting, approach to pest and disease management / wilding and connectivity with areas of biodiversity etc

• Additional features/overall impression has anything innovative been done to enhance the overall impression given.

Wildlife Garden

• Use of space/design to encourage wildlife

• Diversity/wildlife value of plants

• Quality/care of plants

• Year-round interest

• Evidence of Wildlife: (1) Food (2) Shelter (3) Water features (4) organic management

• Overall impression including sustainability ie water butt, composting, mulches, companion planting

• The judges will be interested to hear about -

  • What wildlife you get in your garden and what new wildlife are you attracting?

  • Are you still developing your garden? What do you hope to achieve?

  • The particular issues in relation to wildlife that you have encountered over the past year and how have they been dealt with?

  • What aspects of wildlife enhancement, biodiversity connectivity (click here), and climate change awareness do you focus on?

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Balcony Garden

This category for photographs only, the judges will not visit your garden

Please answer the following questions briefly:

• Describe your balcony garden setup and layout.  Include how you use the space and tell us of any challenges faced in creating and maintaining your garden.

• What types of plants or flowers do you have in your garden?  Give information on their maintenance and care and describe any sustainable practices.

• Finally, are there any special features or unique aspects of your balcony garden that you would like to highlight?

• Then send with up to 5 photographs showing your balcony and plants as jpeg files – name each photograph with your name.

Then email your entry and photographs, together with your address, to info@guildfordinbloom.com.

Young Gardener
This category is open to any young person aged 11-21 entering in their own right and not as part of a School or College entry.  
The garden or allotment will be judged on the relevant criteria set out above, and it must be made clear with the application form, what involvement the young person has in the plot i.e. tended a specific area.

 

Best Themed Garden
This year our theme is Butterflies and Moths.  Judges will be looking for planting specifically to benefit the entire lifecycle of butterflies and moths including spaces for them to overwinter and to feed.  
Judges will also be looking for decoration reflecting the theme to promote to people seeing the garden or plot that ‘Butterflies and Moths Welcome here’. More details can be found here

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Click here to enter

Or email Info@guildfordinbloom.com to have a copy of the entry form emailed to you