The annual Bexley in Bloom gardening competition was managed by Bexley Council until 2014, when it unfortunately fell victim to budget cuts.
As a sponsor of the competition for several years, Ruxley Manor proudly agreed to take over its management with effect from 2015.
The Sidcup garden centre launched its 2015 competition on Wednesday (March 18) at 11am.
The competition was founded on the principle that brightening up outdoor spaces offers positive benefits by giving people a sense of pride in their neighbourhood, attracting more wildlife and making healthier places to live.
Ruxley are keen to retain those values and their philosophy is simple – you don’t need a big budget or a huge garden to make a difference and every garden and display will be judged on its own merits.
This year’s competition offers everything you could want from a gardening contest – free entry for all, professional independent judges (courtesy of The London Gardens Society), together with a great range of Ruxley Manor gift vouchers as prizes.
The organisers are delighted that head judge Jim Buttress has lent his support to this year’s competition.
Head judge Jim Buttress, whose clients have included Her Majesty the Queen
Mr Buttress recently appeared on BBC2 TV’s ‘The Big Allotment Challenge’ and is keen to encourage everyone to dig in and have fun.
With a huge choice of categories, there is something for everyone and despite the name Bexley in Bloom, they have widened the catchment area to include any resident, business, school, allotment or community group within 15 miles of the garden centre.
Residents can look forward to entering their front and/or back gardens into the competition and this year you can even enter a single container – just take a photo of you and your planter, send it to us and the judges will select their winners – so the message is simple, if you’re proud of it, enter it!
TODAY'S TOP STORIES
The allotment categories will find out who is pick of the crop, while dedicated categories for schools seek to find out who is top of the class!
Last but by no means least is the business and community category which includes fire and ambulance stations, hospitals, sheltered housing, care homes, bowling associations and more!
The deadline for entries is May 15 for schools and June 12 for everyone else.
Entrants can win up to £120 in gift vouchers for first place in the allotment category.
For more information visit the website or call Lisa on 020 8300 0084.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here