Entries nearly closed for Garden Competition

13 August 2007

Garden lovers are encouraged to grab their gloves and get a move on to enter the City of Sydney's fourth annual Garden Competition.

There are six categories to enter including the popular "Best Sustainable Garden" category which has doubled in popularity over the past two years.

Prizes for winner and runner up in each of these categories will be awarded.  One garden will be declared "Best Overall Entry" and there are also two new awards this year - an "Encouragement Award" for the garden showing the most potential for improvement and a "People's Choice" award decided by the community. 

"Gardens are vitally important in contributing to beautiful streetscapes, helping the environment and as a source of enjoyment for owners and the wider community," Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP said.

More than 100 entries have been received so far.

Entries will close on Monday 27 August with judging occurring during September and the winner crowned at a special ceremony hosted by the Lord Mayor on Wednesday 31 October. 

This year's judges are:

Jennifer Stackhouse - Sydney Morning Herald 'Essential' gardening writer, former gardening editor of Australian House and Garden and founding editor of Burke's Backyard.

Peter Fudge - Gardening columnist for Sunday Life and owner of Peter Fudge Gardens design and landscape company

Gil Teague - Owner of Glebe's renowned Florilegium Bookshop

Ralph Parsons - President of the Royal Horticultural Society of NSW

Richard Unsworth - Owner of Garden Life in Darlinghurst

Byron Stevens - Owner of The Garden Planner in Redfern

The competition is open to all residents within the City of Sydney Local Government Area.

Winners will share in a prize pool of $20,000 of which more than half is funded by an $11,500 bequest.

For more information and to find out how enter call 9265 9333 or visit www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/whatson.  NOTE: Entries must be visible from the street.  

Images of last year's winners and finalists are available.

Media Contact: Maya Catsanis (02) 9265 9553 or 0409 045 425.