This Summer saw Gloucester City Homes’ (GCH) fifteenth Annual Garden Competition and it was a popular way to showcase local residents hard work over the lockdown period.
Each year the competition celebrates the hard work and pride that people put into their gardens which makes Gloucester’s communities more vibrant and beautiful places to live. All types of gardens are encouraged to enter and this year saw a wide range of gardens from newly transformed gardens, balconies and small spaces, communal gardens and vegetable gardens.
The virtual competition was a great success with 32 entries and an impressive 920 votes cast online. As there were so many great entries, there were 8 awards given and these were chosen by both the Public and GCH staff.
We are pleased to announce this year’s winners as:
‘Public Favourite Garden’ – Catarina from Matson
Taking the overall prize with an impressive 188 votes is Catarina from Matson. Catarina’s garden previously won the competition last year and she has since carried out more work including the addition of a vegetable plot which is full of impressive produce.
The garden incorporates upcycling and a lot of items have been handmade including seating, a bar area and planters. The garden is a testimony to Catarina’s hard work and imagination – plus the bees love it too!
‘Public Runner Up Garden’ – Jacek from Matson
In second place with 80 votes is Jacek’s garden. Jacek has worked very hard to create a beautiful colourful garden which also lights up at night. He also has help from his daughters Elena and Nina, aged 6 and 8, who love to help out and have been busy growing strawberries and vegetables too.
‘Public Non-Tenant Garden’ – Lauren From Podsmead
Non-Tenant winner Lauren gained an impressive 143 votes for her garden and its clear to see why her garden is so popular. Lauren’s garden makes great use of planters to house colourful floral displays.
‘Best Newcomer Garden’ – Jacki from Abbeydale
Jacki’s impressive garden transformation has taken 2 years. The garden includes a lovely seating area as well as a wide array of different flowers and also fruit and vegetable plants. Theres even some tropical looking lilies adding to the array of colour.
‘Most Creative Garden’ – Block 67 from Matson
Residents at Block 67 Matson Avenue show that any space can be transformed into a garden as residents have used a range of non-traditional items such as pallets and washing lines to create a quirky garden. They have plans to expand the garden next year with some painting and sunflowers.
‘Public Favourite Communal Garden’ – Broom House in Robinswood
With an impressive 60 votes is Mr Thomas who has worked incredibly hard to win Broom House the award for the public favourite communal garden. The garden which spans around the front and back of the complex looks beautiful and is enjoyed by residents as well as many who drive past. Although it was harder to find flowers this year you would never know this when you look at the colourful display. Mr Thomas has also upcycled and handmade many of the items including the detailed arches.
‘GCH Favourite Communal Garden’ – St Aldwyn Gardens in Tredworth
Another new entry for this year is the communal gardens at St Aldwyn Road, which are beautifully maintained and attract lots of wildlife. Residents including Paul, Alison, Alan and Susan have worked hard to create a bright display for the community to enjoy and their garden even includes a solar powered fountain which birds love.
‘Tallest Sunflower’ – Aimee from Hardwicke
During the early Summer months GCH delivered sunflower and salad growing kits to tenants across the City and this inspired our first sunflower growing competition.
Aimee from Hardwicke won the competition with impressive sunflowers reaching well over 10ft 5inches all the way around the garden. Her children have been helping her to water the sunflowers and they also have lots of amazing vegetables growing in a new vegetable patch.
Mandi Holt Community Investment Team Leader congratulates all entrants saying: “Its been great to see so many people getting involved in the competition this year and residents hard work over the lockdown period definitely shows. With so many more people turning their hands to gardening we have been thrilled to share the beautiful array of photos to residents across Gloucester.
As we received so many great entries this year we decided to award more gardens than usual as we have been really impressed with the creativity that has been put into designing and transforming spaces.
We look forward to showing the great displays again next year. Thanks to every entrant who got involved.”