Sutton in Bloom is back for 2022!

We are on the hunt for the top green-fingered enthusiasts who help brighten up our borough.

The Sutton in Bloom competition categories include:

  • Best Front Garden

  • Best Community Garden

  • Best Business Frontage

  • Best Allotment Garden

  • Best School Garden

  • Best Container Garden

This year, the competition opened on 4 April 2022 and will close on 20 June. Entering is easy - simply complete the online application form or contact Ian Wolstencroft via email (Ian.Wolstencroft@sutton.gov.uk) or by post (Ian Wolstencroft, London Borough of Sutton, Environment, Housing & Neighbourhoods, Civic Offices, St Nicholas Way, Sutton, SM1 1EA) for a paper form. If you don't have green fingers yourself, why not nominate a neighbour or local business, organisation or school?

Criteria

Best Front Garden

We are looking for the best private residential front garden in Sutton. The judges will be looking for an attractive garden layout with a colourful display featuring any combination of hard landscaping, good quality bedding, herbaceous plants, shrubs, trees and lawns. Entries in this category must be visible to passers-by and can include gardens with plants in pots and hanging baskets.

Best Community Garden

Awarded to either a group of gardens, frontages of buildings or area of ground where the displays have been created specifically for the shared benefit and enjoyment of others. This may include a street, square, close, cul-de-sac, community project, or the gardens of a care home, community centre or place of worship. The judges will be looking for displays which are well-designed, provide an array of colour and encourage wildlife. Only one nomination per street, group of gardens or project.

Best Business Frontage

An opportunity for the owners of pubs, hotels, leisure facilities and business premises that take pride in their buildings to be recognised for bringing a splash of colour to the neighbourhood with hanging baskets and eye-catching planting schemes.

Best Allotment Garden

There are numerous allotment plots throughout the borough and many are packed with tasty vegetables and colour from an array of stunning, sweet-smelling blooms. This category aims to celebrate and reward those hard-working gardeners who achieve excellent crops and beautiful plots.

Best School Garden

This popular award as part of Sutton in Bloom aims to encourage and reward the efforts of young people involved in planting and maintaining a specific school garden or planting area as part of their curriculum or a gardening club. The judges will be looking for good design, use of plants and shrubs, the role of the garden as part of school life and its impact on the environment.

Best Container Garden

We are looking for entries to showcase innovation and creativity using the space available. 

The container garden needs to be viewed/judged from the ground so, unfortunately, no high balconies are able to be entered. 

Judging

Once you have registered or put forward a garden, judges will visit the garden and decide on a winner, runner up and third place for each category. The best entries may be invited to represent Sutton at the prestigious London in Bloom competition.

Toolkit

This toolkit contains posters and social media assets which can be downloaded and used as needed. Please feel free to share partners and local organisations to help spread the word about Sutton in Bloom.