Grove Park Group organises front garden competition

Maybe with a little judicious weeding it could be a contender …

Do you have a lovely front garden and live in Grove Park?

The Grove Park residents’ group is organising a ‘best front garden’ competition.

In a move to fight against the trend to pave gardens over or cover them in astroturf, they are celebrating natural gardens and giving a prize for the most wildlife-friendly.

‘The gardens entering don’t have to be large, nor meticulously planned nor expensively laid out. In fact, it might be better if they’re not.

There are prizes for the gardens judged to be the best three, in addition to the prize for the most wildlife-friendly.

‘There is no special prize for manicure! They just have to be in Grove Park and making a mark, or contributing to the area, or being distinctive in some way. If you like your front garden, it’s a fair bet that others do too. So why not throw your hat into the ring – what’s to lose?’, they say.

(I wonder if my rather spectacular growth of bindweed would count? It’s distinctive alright.)

Probably not a contender for the top prize, though the display of bindweed is eye-catchingly distinctive

Great prizes donated by Chiswick Flower Market, Chiswick Horticultural and Allotments Society and Wild Chiswick

The prizes have been most generously donated by the Chiswick Flower Market and by the Chiswick Horticultural and Allotments Society, and they are worth winning:

• 1st prize – £100 of vouchers to be spent at the Chiswick Flower Market, and £25 of vouchers for the CHAS Trading Hut. .
• 2nd Prize – £75 of vouchers to be spent at the Chiswick Flower Market, and £25 of vouchers for the CHAS trading hut.
• 3rd Prize – £50 of vouchers to be spent at the Chiswick Flower Market, and £25 of vouchers for the CHAS Trading Hut. .

The winner of the most wildlife-friendly garden, which may or may not be one of the above, will be rewarded with three bags of compost, donated by CHAS. And a bat box donated by Wild Chiswick.

This inaugural competition is open to all residents of Grove Park. Gardens must be visible from the public highway, in order for them to be judged. Sign up either by clicking here: Grove Park Residents Group Front Gardens Competition,  or by emailing admin@groveparkgroup.com.

The deadline for entries is 30 June.

Judging will take place over the weekend beginning 10 July.

Judges: Jo Gilbert – WildChiswick; Dennis Flaherty – CHAS; Stephen Nutt – Chiswick Flower Market.