The Stonewater Gardening Competition
Thank you to everyone who took part and entered this year’s Gardening Competition!
We loved seeing your beautiful gardens and could see how much hard work and care has gone into them.
Each of our winners will receive an amazing £250 worth of vouchers, thanks to generous donations to the prize pot from our contractors Bell, Pinnacle, Ian Williams, Nurture, Just Ask, We Are Group and Wates.
As a reminder, the five categories were:
- Your own garden space,
- A community or shared garden,
- A micro-garden (small patios, balconies, baskets or vertical gardens),
- A garden that's a paradise for bees and butterflies,
- Or a garden with an extra focus on sustainability.
Our judging panel included David, our Chief Operating Officer; Juliana, who leads the Customer Experience Challenge and Assurance Panel; and John, one of last year’s winners.
With so many amazing entries to choose from, it wasn’t easy - but after lots of discussion and some tough decisions, they picked this year’s winners!
Daphne Murrie
Winner of the individual garden category!
“We started from scratch in September 2024 on what was initially very poor soil. From then, we’ve developed a small haven where we can relax and sit and enjoy the plants, birds and pollinators.”
The panel described Daf’s beautiful space as “a really nice garden!”
"I entered our garden to share what can be achieved from a blank, muddy canvas in just 10 months. Thank you so very much, as winning makes all the time and effort even more worthwhile."
- Daphne
Ann Shakespeare, and her neighbours
Winner of the community or shared garden category!
“Our beautiful, shared community garden is tendered and cared for by the residents. The average age of the green-fingered gardeners is late 70s/80s, who supply all the pots and wonderful flower arrangements year after year, planting in both spring and summer. It’s a joy to sit out and enjoy a cup of tea together and appreciate the efforts that make for a marvellous floral community area.”
Our panel chose Ann and her communities lovingly cared-for garden as, “the best one!”
"We are all so very excited and happy to have our beautiful community garden recognised in this year’s Stonewater’s Garden Competition. We have some very hard working residents here who buy all the plants and regularly tend the garden for all to enjoy. The phase “blooming lovely” certainly applies here."
- Ann
Rosie Stevens
Winner of the micro garden category!
“I love my little space; I have my first cup of tea out here in the morning. At night, it becomes magical with the solar lights.”
Our panel thought Rosie’s garden was “very pretty and very colourful!”
Wendy Clark
Winner of the sustainable garden category!
“I enjoy watching wildlife and encouraging insects in all their beauty to visit the garden. As the estate is under three years old and still settling down, I brought established plants to encourage the wildlife back. I have seen robins, dragonflies, bees, hover flies and ladybirds.”
The panel described Wendy’s sunny garden as “very pretty and full of colour – which really makes the garden alive.”
John Jennings
Winner of the pollinator’s paradise!
“My back garden is totally dedicated to wildlife. What you can’t see are the three ponds that are hidden amongst the foliage. I also have four water butts for watering the plants.”
Our panel said John’s garden was “beautiful, and we can see that so much work has been put into this garden.”
"What do I say about my garden other than it is very much a wildlife garden. My back garden has three ponds, grasses, two palm trees, flag iris, bamboo, passion flower, dahlias, cannas, callas, arum lily, banana plant, wallflowers, a wisteria covered pergola plus much more. I have lived here for 21 years and have entered the competition three times, winning twice, so I must be doing something right!"
- John
Darron and Vicky Miner
The ‘Customer's Choice’ award, chosen by John, went to Darron and Vicky!
“We are very proud of our achievements. My wife is very creative and I think it shows that having a small garden you can make it look bigger than it does.”
- Darron
Our panel described Darron and Vicky's garden as “just beautiful”.
"We are delighted and thrilled to have won the customer's choice prize. Our garden is our little bit of haven. We spend as much time in the garden when we can, relaxing and enjoying the fruits of our labour (husbands labour). I'm the brains and he's the brawn (team work!)"
- Vicky