The winning gardens from our SNG In Bloom competition
03 September 2024
In May, we launched our SNG In Bloom gardening competition. We had lots of fantastic applications from customers across London, Hertfordshire and the south and south-west of England.
Our Group CEO Mark Washer and our Chief Communities and Sustainability Officer Jamie Ratcliff joined our Community Investment and Partnerships team to deliberate and select the winners. With lots of wonderful gardens to choose from, the competition was incredibly tough. We’ve now contacted all our winners, and we’re excited to now share the winning gardeners and gardens!
It was incredibly hard to judge these awards as there were so many brilliant submissions from green-fingered and community minded SNG customers. I’d like to warmly congratulate the winners who should be rightly proud of their success in the face of such competition. I was blown away with the levels of skill, commitment and improvement shown in all submissions and can’t wait to visit some of these beautiful spaces in person.
Jamie Ratcliff, Chief Communities and Sustainability Officer
There were prizes of £200 vouchers for first place winners, with £100 vouchers for second place and £50 for third place. All winners also received a certificate and trophy with their prize!
SNG in Bloom is part of our Living Together Programme, a Community Investment initiative that aims to reduce minor anti-social behaviour and bring communities together through a package of support, funding and resources. This is being delivered through three different strands: #Innovate, #Befriend and the #InBloom gardening competition.
The winners
Green and Glam award
This award is all about celebrating bright and vibrant green spaces, especially customers and/or communities who have added colour to their garden or scheme to reduce issues such as fly tipping and waste issues.
WINNER: Stephen Kenney, Reading and Newbury
Judges' comments: “A lovely layered garden with plenty of vibrant colour that certainly personifies the idea of ‘Green and Glam’. A massive thank you for your hard work to make this community more green, vibrant and cleaner. The panel really enjoyed learning how it’s serving as an inspiration to the local community and supporting peoples mental health and wellbeing."
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Second place: Katherine Wornell Judges' comments: “The difference in this garden from before to after is absolutely transformative, this is a really well-maintained green space that has certainly had a ‘glam up’ thanks to your hard work! The panel also loved how creative solutions have been embedded to reduce litter and promote a cleaner environment.” |
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Home Garden In Bloom award
This award is for the customer whose garden has the most outstanding beauty and flourishing greenery.
WINNER: Luke Carpenter, Swindon
Judges' comments: "This garden is absolutely fantastic, with its diverse range of plants, the array of different colours and the benefits it all has to wildlife are an amazing accomplishment, and make for a truly exceptional home garden!”
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Second place: Ena Hunter, Dorset Judges' comments: “A beautiful green space with a nice, diverse range of colourful plants that all look fantastic. The panel loved the time committed, passion, and efforts of this 87 year old resident who has inspired other neighbours and visitors with such a lovely space.”
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Third place: Sophia Newman, Devon Judges' comments: “This home garden is really inspiring with how it promotes creativity and harmony with the local community. The layout is very well done and the plants all look healthy and vibrant – a fantastic green space, well done! The panel was really impressed with how you went above and beyond to share your passion for gardening and support other residents’ gardens.”
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Thriving Community Garden award
This award is for customers who have worked as a team to create and maintain a community garden or communal grounds.
WINNER: Diane Hurn, Plymouth
Judges' comments: “This is a fantastic green space from an SNG housing for older people scheme. The panel was really impressed with arrangement of the wide variety of pots and flowers and plants and in particular with the efforts from you and your husband to make this Community Garden space a wonderful place for the residents to come together, connect with nature and socialise.”
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Second place: Linda Fordham, Reading and Newbury Judges' comments: “The setup of this community garden is excellent, by growing vegetables and providing a space for the local community to relax and socialise, this green space’s value to the community is clear and we are really impressed with it”
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Third place: Junior Allen, Plymouth Judges' comments: “The planters in this garden are beautiful, and incredibly creative – The panel particularly liked the efforts made to design the beautiful boat, as well as the bog bed with its diverse selection of plants and flowers. Great work!”
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Small Garden Innovator Award
Awarded to customers who innovatively utilise small inside or outdoor garden spaces like balconies. This was an opportunity to showcase blossoming greenery in containers, hanging baskets, house plants or even something a little different!
WINNER: Maria Vasquez, London
Judges' comments: "Seeing how you’ve learned and developed your gardening skills over the years to produce this beautiful small garden is really inspiring, the panel particularly loved the use of the vegetable patch and the layered indoor shelves – Amazing work!”
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Second place: Isthiaq Wijetunge, London Judges' comments: “This garden balcony is really well looked after and we love the diversity in the plants you’ve cultivated there. The addition of the trellis plants and hanging pots really pull together to make this an innovative small garden"
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Third place: Petra Fuller, Hampshire Judges' comments: "This Indoor garden is really impressive! The use of an expansive cabinet to hold houseplants creates a unique and colourful indoor ecosystem. The panel can certainly see how it has helped to make your working environment much more relaxing.
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Sustainable Garden award
This award is sponsored by our Security contractors United Guarding, and it's for customers who have created a sustainable and eco-friendly haven in their gardens. For those who grow their own food, attract wildlife with bug hotels and bird boxes, and use recycled elements.
WINNER: Michelle Plummer, Berkshire
Judges' comments: “This garden is a fantastic example of sustainability! We love the use of the different hedges, the beautiful ponds, and the wildflower meadow to promote habitats for different wildlife. The inclusion of the bird and bee boxes as well make this a great, environmentally friendly green space.”
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Second place: Saowanee Warren
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Third place: Lynne Thorne, London Judges' comments: “Thank you for joining the competition, the panel loved the inclusion of plant pots and the insect box which certainly will promote a more sustainable community green space. Keep up the great work!”
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Congratulations to all the excellent winners- we can’t wait to see how each the winners enhance their green spaces even more with their prize! We encourage you to take part in our future community projects and initiatives which will be announced on our website, social media and in our customer newsletter. If you have an idea for a project you’d like to bring to life in your community, please contact our Community Investment and Partnerships team by emailing community.investment@sng.org.uk
Some other lovely gardens that came very close!
