Moon Shines On Our Town’s Gardeners At This Year’s Guildford in Bloom Awards

Published on: 19 Sep, 2019
Updated on: 21 Sep, 2019

Best Allotment/Kitchen Garden – Les and Stella Hind

Gardens across the borough were celebrated with the theme of “50 Years Of Lunar Landings” at the annual Guildford in Bloom awards last night (September 18) at the Yvonne Arnaud theatre with an audience of 400. Vivace Chorus opened the show and Joe Talbot from BBC Radio Surrey’s “Dig It” was the guest MC.

Guildford Mayor Cllr Richard Billington presented the awards, now in their 38th year. Les and Stella Hind were overall winners with their allotment/kitchen garden. They were awarded an engraved Dartington crystal vase and a bee-keeping demonstration at Albury vineyard. Judges said their “entire plot was pristine”.

Winners group photo

Cllr Paul Spooner, chairman of Guildford in Bloom, said: ‘Congratulations to our winners, it’s been another great year for our borough’s greenest and most creative competition. Innovation was high this year in all groups and we thoroughly enjoyed our special guest of honour [the life-sized astronaut] attending, with thanks to Headway Surrey.

“We’ve awarded nine perpetual trophies this year. The Wildlife Garden and Best Site for Nature Conservation were both new categories with wonderful awards; a pottery hedgehog designed and made by artist Terri Smart in memory of Suki Lowres and a bronze hare donated by Wildlife enthusiast Mo Usher.

“I’d like to thank everyone involved for their hard work and dedication and to our premium sponsors Allianz, Barker & Stonehouse and Chapters Financial and our major sponsors Levanter Developments, Tunsgate Quarter and the University of Surrey for making this such a wonderful event for our borough.”

Best Pub in Bloom – Gomshall Mill

Cllr Pauline Searle, lead for Arts, Parks and Countryside, said: “Gardening promotes a great sense of community and has proven therapeutic and health benefits. We are proud of our borough’s gardens and magnificent green spaces.

“The council owns and manages 65 parks over 50 countryside sites covering an area of nearly 2,600ha which is actually 2.5% of the borough’s land area. There’s something for everyone to enjoy from town centre play gardens at Westnye and the stunning Castle grounds to Stoke Park with paddling pool and model boating lake to one of our nature reserves.”

The Student Garden Showcase, now in its second year, was won by Daisy Shearer, a student at The University of Surrey, who said her garden was inspired by the principles of quantum physics.

The competition had a record 209 entries this year with 73 of them new for 2019. There were 93 allotment/kitchen gardens, 37 front gardens, 13 wildlife gardens, 12 pub gardens, 12 neighbourhood projects, nine container gardens, 15 schools, 10 nature conservation sites (a new category for this year), the student quantum garden entry and seven themed entries.

There was a record number of front garden entries thanks to creative promotion of this category through a “Blooming Act of Kindness” in collaboration with Halow Project students when 150 geranium plants were potted and given to residents in Park Barn, Onslow Village, Bellfields and Shalford. A further 25 geranium plants were given to shoppers in Guildford High Street.

Overall competition winners and best in show Les and Stella Hind either side of the mayor, Rochard Billington, competition chairman Paul Spooner (left) and competition sponsors,

The Best in Category award winners were:

Best Front Garden: Janet Bangs
Best Allotment/Kitchen Garden: Les and Stella Hind
Best Container Garden: Ken and Patricia Comerford
Best Neighbourhood Project: Palmer’s Lodge Flower Garden
Best Pub in Bloom: Gomshall Mill
Student Garden Showcase: Daisy Shearer, University of Surrey
Best Site for Nature Conservation: Butterfly Conservation
Best Wildlife Garden: Andrew Wells
Best School in Bloom: Wonersh and Shamley Green Primary School
Best Themed Entry: Headway Surrey