Press Release

18 June 2024

Time is running out to enter Fareham in Bloom competition

Fareham Borough Council is reminding residents, businesses and local organisations that there are only two weeks remaining in which to enter the community gardening challenge, Fareham in Bloom.

Sponsored by St Margaret’s Nurseries and EcoSupport, the competition is open to everyone, no matter how large or small their display. Entrants can choose from the following categories:

• Best Garden – a residential garden of any size, front or back. We encourage natural lawns as opposed to artificial grass
• Businesses and schools – Shop fronts, pubs, cafes, restaurants, businesses, schools, children's nurseries
• Something Small - Hanging baskets, window boxes, potted plants, small, unusual garden features, a small area of open space
• Community - An area of open space within a road/street that the community looks after, community centres, sheltered housing grounds, care/retirement homes, outdoor communal areas
• Sustainable Garden - Planting to encourage wildlife, grow your own fruit and vegetables, allotments, recycling materials and using minimal resources

Anyone who lives, or has a business in, the Borough is eligible to enter, but submissions must be received by the closing date of Tuesday 2 July. Entry is through the completion of an online form, together with a short description and one photograph, unless entering the Community category where up to three photographs may be submitted. Each entrant will receive a 10% discount voucher for St Margaret’s Nurseries.

Public voting will commence on Monday 15 July and will close on Tuesday 30 July, after which the two entrants receiving the most votes in each category will be contacted to inform them that they will receive a garden visit. The exception to this is the Something Small category, where entrants will not receive a visit and, instead, will be judged on the photograph and description alone.

Members of the judging panel, together with a community volunteer, will undertake the garden visits on Friday 23 August 2024. School visits will take place on Friday 6 September. 

The judging panel will determine the winner in each category, who will then be put forward for a chance to win the Mayor’s Gold Award, where the Mayor will choose a winner across all categories. This is an additional prize for this year only in celebration of the Borough’s 50th anniversary. 

The prizes are as follows:

• Best Garden: A year’s subscription to the Council's Garden Waste Scheme
• Businesses and schools: £30 voucher for St Margaret's Nursery
• Something Small: £30 voucher for St Margaret's Nursery
• Community: £30 voucher for St Margaret's Nursery
• Sustainable Garden: £30 voucher for St Margaret's Nursery

The winner of the Mayor's Gold Award will receive a £50 voucher for St Margaret's Nursery, in addition to the prize they won in their category. 

Runners up in each category will receive a £15 voucher for St Margaret's Nursery.

A special reception for all winners will take place in the Mayor’s Parlour in September.

For more information and to submit an entry, visit: www.fareham.gov.uk/inbloom.

ENDS

For further information contact:

Customer Enquiries

Tel: 01329 236100
Email: customerservicecentre@fareham.gov.uk

Media Enquiries

The Communications Team
Tel: 01329 824310
Email: publicity@fareham.gov.uk
Fax: 01329 550576

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