Sheffield’s award-winning ‘green-fingered’ gardeners

Green fingers competition winners

We have the winners for the Housing and Neighbourhood Service's Green Fingers Gardening Competition 2019!

This year’s competition, which attracted entries from tenants, residents and primary schools across the city, culminated in an afternoon of prize-giving this week to thank everyone for their impressive entries. Their hard work to produce award-winning floral displays over the year was celebrated in Sheffield’s Botanical Gardens, a perfect backdrop for the occasion.

There were five prize categories as well as an additional Judges’ Choice award. The judges looked for well laid-out, well-maintained gardens that contained a variety of healthy, colourful plants and environmentally friendly gardening solutions, such as composting bins, water butts, recycled / upcycled objects used as planters or garden furniture, and gardens that made space for nature by attracting birds, bees and other wildlife.

The competition is now in its 9^th year and is held to reward tenants who maintain their gardens to a high standard to improve the appearance of estates. It also promotes the benefits that gardening can have for people’s physical and mental wellbeing and raises awareness of environmentally friendly and sustainable gardening methods.

Janet Sharpe, Director of Housing and Neighbourhood Services said: “It was lovely attending the awards ceremony and seeing the dedication and enthusiasm of the tenants and residents who entered the competition. Thank you to everyone who made the event a great success.

“We’ll be back the same time next year for the 2020 competition. Keep an eye out for the details which we’ll be announcing over the next couple of months.”

Three schools came top in the Grow Your Own Food category: Phillimore Community Primary School, St Catherine’s Catholic Primary School and Shortbrook Primary School (photo available on request).

Pictures are some of the winners from all other categories: Brian McGrail, Iris Clark, Roza Gorecka, Leila McDonald; Carol Ellis, Camelia Bell, Marcia Bramhall and Betty Stevens, Noel Lockley, Wendy Bould, Stuart Trickett, Cynthia Dyson, Christine Pinder, Henry Gillespie along with Janet Sharpe, Director of Housing and Neighbourhood Services and judges Angus Hunter and Gavin Hardy.

Best Sheltered Scheme Raised Planter – Henry Gillespie, judged by Annice Fuller (Community and Engagement Team)

Best Sheltered Scheme Garden – Springwater House, judged by Annice Fuller (Community and Engagement Team)

Best Use of a Small Space – Gwendoline Child, judged by Chris Lawton (Estates and Environmental Service)

Best All Round Garden – Noel Lockley, judged by Angus Hunter (Ecology Unit)

Schools category: Grow Your Own Food – Phillimore Community Primary School, judged by  Gavin Hardy (Royal Horticultural Society)

The Judges’ Choice Award, Best Example of a Community Garden, was awarded to Brian McGrail.