Garden competition

About Bury in Bloom 2013 garden competition

The Bury in Bloom garden competition aims to encourage local residents to make use of and enhance their gardening skills to help the environment and improve the appearance of our borough. Entry is free with categories for both experienced and novice gardeners.

What are the categories for the garden competition?

• Best household front garden.
• Best street or community garden.
• Best commercial or retail display or landscaping.
• Best school environmental education garden.

About the garden competition categories

Best household front garden

The goal for this category is to find 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

The goal for this category is to find a group of people that has 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

The goal for this category is 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

The goal for this category is to find a school that has 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?

Judges will score entries 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)

Entries in the 'Best Street or community garden' category will be also be judged on the number of people involved and how effectively the group has worked as a team to enhance the area.

Entries in the 'Best school environmental garden' category will also be judged on overall cleanliness of the grounds and weed control as well as the amount of effort that goes into environmental education.

All entries will also be judged on whether an edible theme has been incorporated (home grown vegetables/fruit/herbs).  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 could I win?

Gold, silver and bronze awards will be given with special recognition for the best entry in each category. Judges will also award a discretionary award for the entrant with the Edible Britain theme. 

A variety of prizes donated by local businesses will also be awarded. 

How to enter the 2013 Bury in Bloom competition.

All entries must be submitted to us by Wednesday 31 July 2013.

Download the entry form from the right-hand side of this web page.

Complete the entry form and submit it to us along with two digital photographs of your entry. Please make sure the photographs you submit accurately represent your entry. We will use these photographs for initial shortlisting.

We will contact shortlisted entrants to arrange a viewing during August.  

Unsuccessful entrants will be notified by e-mail or letter.

Rules of entry

1. All entries must fall within the borough of Bury.
2. All entrants must complete the official entry form and submit two photographs which clearly portray their entry.
3. Only one entry per household/community group/business/school will be accepted.
4. Photographs submitted as part of an entry must have been taken between 1 June and 31 July 2013.
5. Entries which consist of or include artificial plants will be rejected.
6. The closing date for entries is Wednesday 31 July 2013. No entries will be accepted after this date.
7. No correspondence will be entered into and the judges' decision will be final.

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