Our In Bloom gardening competition launched in 2024 and in the first year, we hadlots of fantasticapplications 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. You can find the winning gardeners and gardens from 2024 on this page!
Jamie Ratcliff, Chief Communities and Sustainability Officer, commented: “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.”
First place winners received a £200 voucher, with £100 vouchers for second place and £50 for third place. All winners also got a certificate and trophy. 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.
If you would like to find out more about our Living Together Programme or get involved in any other community-led initiatives run at SNG please email Community.Investment@sng.org.uk.
The winners
Green and Glam award
This award celebrates vibrant and colourful green spaces, especially those created by customers or communities to address challenges like fly-tipping and waste management.
These gardens have not only added beauty but have also played a key role in improving the environment.
Green and Glam award
1st place
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.”
Green and Glam award
2nd place
Katherine Wornell
Bristol
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.”
Home Garden In Bloom award
This award is for the customer whose garden stands out for its exceptional beauty and flourishing greenery.
It’s a tribute to those who have cultivated an abundant garden that showcases the very best of nature.
Home Garden In Bloom award
1st place
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!”
Home Garden In Bloom award
2nd 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.”
Home Garden In Bloom award
3rd 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.”
Thriving Community Garden award
This award is dedicated to customers who have come together as a team to create and maintain a thriving community garden or shared communal space.
Their collective effort in transporting communal grounds into a green oasis is truly inspiring.
Thriving Community Garden award
1st place
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.”
Thriving Community Garden award
2nd 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”.
Thriving Community Garden award
3rd 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!”
Small Garden Innovator award
Awarded to customers who have innovatively utilised small indoor or outdoor spaces, like balconies, to grow greenery.
This category showcases blossoming plants in containers, hanging baskets, houseplants, or other something a little different that maximise space and beauty.
Small Garden Innovator award
1st place
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!”
Small Garden Innovator award
2nd 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.”
Small Garden Innovator award
3rd 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.”
Sustainable Garden award
This award recognises customers who have designed eco-friendly, sustainable gardens.
These gardens often include homegrown food, spaces for wildlife with bug hotels and bird boxes, and recycled elements.
It’s a celebration of those who prioritise environmental sustainability whilst creating beautiful green spaces.
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.”
Sustainable Garden award
2nd place
Saowanee Warren
Dorset
Judges' comments: “This is a great-looking sustainable garden with some clear benefits to the local environment. It’s great that you have been able to grow your own sustainable food, and the diverse, healthy selection of local plants create a great area to promote bees and other pollinating wildlife. Great work!”
Sustainable Garden award
3rd 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!”
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 service update/newsletter.
Some other lovely gardens that came very close!
Anthony Tester - Reading
Richard Coxhead - North Hampshire and Surrey
Kemille King - Bristol
Janice Farrow - Hertfordshire
Stuart Curran - Oxford
Linda Diane Vear and Lynda Harris - South Hampshire
