The Bradley Stoke in Bloom group has announced details of its Best Front Garden competition for 2022, writes Sara Messenger.
As we’re now in our 10th year I think we can safely say that our annual Best Front Garden competition is now a firm fixture in the town’s calendar of events. I was delighted to be told one year by mayor Michael Hill that our prize giving was a highlight in the mayoral calendar and that he was greatly looking forward to it.
The rules have changed little since the beginning, although last year saw the introduction of a ‘green credentials’ column to the score sheets. It was a small change but it certainly seemed to shake things up!
The judging is held in late July and the criteria are:
- Well-kept frontage
- Quantity/quality of plants
- Outstanding character
- Well-kept lawns/paths/driveway
- Green credentials
We have two categories:
- Large garden (detached property)
- Small garden (terraced or semi-detached property)
You can enter your own garden or you can nominate a friend or neighbour.
Additionally, thanks to Cllr Dayley Lawrence, our wonderful Royal Mail ‘posties’ have also been asked to nominate some of the great gardens they see on their rounds.
We also have a ‘Facebook Favourite’ prize, which goes to the garden attracting the most ‘likes’ once the official photos of the entrants’ gardens are published on the Bradley Stoke in Bloom Facebook page.
The competition entry form is available to download from the Bradley Stoke Town Council website. Paper copies may be picked up from the town council office at the Jubilee Centre, Savages Wood Road BS32 8HL during normal opening hours.
Entry forms should be either returned to the town council office or emailed to bsib@hotmail.co.uk by 4pm on Thursday 21st July 2022.
We expect to have a fabulous array of prizes to be won. Last year (see report), Bradley Stoke Zero Carbon Community Group sponsored the new ‘Greenest Garden’ prize; Almondsbury Garden Centre always generously provides vouchers for all the top categories; The Hollow Tree also generously provided several vouchers for a meal for two with wine; and the Aztec Hotel provided vouchers for Tea for Two and another for a table at a Friday Night event.
We also had engraved trophies and engraved medals & framed certificates for all, and so with a record 24 gardens entered, the mayor’s hopes for an early night were well and truly thwarted!
Bradley Stoke in Bloom wrote on Tuesday 19th July:
“Mainly due to the weather we are wanting to close the competition a day early, 4pm Wednesday 20th July. However if anyone misses the deadline we will come up with a plan :0)”
The judges have now visited the entrants’ gardens and photos have been posted on the Bradley Stoke in Bloom Facebook page (see posts dated 25th July 2022; gardens B to P).
“Our Facebook Favourite competition is now open and will close at 9am on Monday 8th August. The winner will be the garden that gets the most ‘likes’ (not the most views).”