Dorset gardeners invited to enter wildlife friendly competition

Now in its eighth year, the Wildlife Friendly Gardening Competition, sponsored by the Gardens Group, is free to enter. Private gardeners, schools, housing associations, formal and informal community groups can enter and there is new category for those in rented properties.

DWT’s Community Conservation Officer, Briony Baxter said, “This fun competition is for anyone who has an interest in gardening or wildlife and you definitely don’t have to be an expert gardener with a tidy garden to enter. If you’ve recently become interested in encouraging wildlife and you would like to know more, you can pick the brains of the experts who come to see your garden. Everyone who enters will also receive a free DWT wildlife friendly garden plaque to display proudly.”

Applications can be made online, where entrants can submit photos to show how much effort has gone into creating wildlife friendly habitats. Features include bug hotels, bird boxes, ponds, or simply a space left ‘wild’ for wildlife to make their homes in.

Mike Burks, managing director of The Gardens Group, said, “Each year the bar is raised, as previous entrants use the judges’ feedback to make improvements that mean their gardens are even more wildlife friendly. We also see many new entrants each year, as more people continue to become inspired by how much they can do to help protect our wildlife. The competition is all about encouraging everyone to do their best to nurture wildlife in their gardens, no matter how large or small, and I take great pleasure in seeing how much impact our wildlife friendly gardeners are having.”

All the entrants will be invited to a prize-giving ceremony at the Gardens Groups’ Castle Gardens in Sherborne in July. Prizes include wildlife garden products, gardening books, vouchers and a winners’ plaque. Refreshments will be provided and a guest speaker will give a talk on an aspect of wildlife gardening.