Bury in Bloom news

Enter the 2013 Bury in Bloom gardening competition

Make use of and enhance your gardening skills to help the environment and improve the appearance of our borough. Entry is free and open to both experienced and novice gardeners.

Garden competition categories

Best household front garden: We will be looking for the display with the most impact - size is not a factor. The entry must be clearly visible from the roadside.

Best street or community garden: We will be looking for a group of people that have improved the overall appearance of their neighbourhood or street and involved everyone in caring for where they live.

Best commercial or retail display or landscaping: We want to find a local pub, hotel, restaurant, shop or business that is creating a great first impression with the quality of landscaping around their premises.

Best school environmental garden: We will be looking for schools that have created a garden which attracts wildlife and provides an attractive place for children to get first hand experience of the natural world through study and practical care of the garden.

What will gardens be judged on?

• Overall design (colour, appropriate plants for situation, quality of plants, upkeep and wow factor).
• Wildlife (wildlife-friendly plants and features eg bird/insect boxes)
• Recycling (compost bins, imaginative/practical use and re-use of materials)
• Sustainability (water conservation/retention, use of permanent planting)

All entries will also be judged on whether an edible theme has been incorporated. This is for a discretionary award introduced as part of RHS Britain in Bloom's Edible Britain campaign. Please note: It is not compulsory to incorporate an edible theme.

What awards or prizes can entrants win?  

Gold, silver and bronze awards will be given with special recognition for the best entry in each category. Prizes donated by local businesses will also be awarded. 

How to enter the 2013 gardening competition

All entries must be submitted to us by Wednesday 31 July 2013. To download the entry form and read the rules visit www.bury.gov.uk/buryinbloom-gardeningcompetition or phone 0161 253 5266.

Design a poster competition

Youngsters aged 4 to 16 years are invited to explore their creative side and design a prize-winning poster to help promote Bury in Bloom.  Bury has won its category in North West in Bloom for 9 years running and Radcliffe, entered in a separate category, has achieved two gold medals.

What do entrants have to do?

Create a poster using paint, crayon, ink, or felt pen which reflects this year's themes which are "edible Britain" and "wild about flowers".

• The "edible Britain" theme seeks to inspire people to grow their own herbs, fruit and vegetables. 
• The "wild about flowers" theme aims to encourage more people to plant for wildlife to help vital flower-visiting insects such as bees, moths, butterflies and hoverflies.

What will poster designs bejudged on?

• Creativity and originality - how artistic and imaginative the poster design is.
• Colour - how bright and bold the poster design is.
• Skill - how clearly the poster design reflects the "edible Britain" and/or "wild about flowers" theme/s.

Competition deadline

All poster entries must be submitted by 31 May 2013 and sent to: Bury in Bloom poster competition Parks and Countryside Service 3 Knowsley Place, Duke Street, Bury BL9 0EJ.

For full details about the competition visit: www.bury.gov.uk/postercompetition or phone 0161 253 5266.

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