The Wildlife Friendly Gardening Competition 2018

The competition is now OPEN.

Wildlife Friendly Gardening Competition. Closing date: 25th May 2018.

Following the success of our eighth wildlife friendly gardening competition last year, The Gardens Group of Sherborne and Poundbury, has kindly offered to sponsor this competition once again. 

• To submit an application to the Wildlife Gardening Competition, please scroll down the page to find the entry form.
• Everyone who submits an application to the competition will be awarded a DWT Wildlife Friendly Garden plaque to display proudly in their garden! 
• To apply for a Wildlife Friendly Garden plaque without entering the competition, apply for one on our plaque page here. 
• Data protection: Your information will be kept securely on our database and we will not give your details to any third parties other than the Gardens Group.

How to enter

Entry to the competition is FREE. Just have a look at these entry support notes and then complete the online form below. 

You don’t need to have a huge garden and it doesn’t have to be immaculately weeded to enter this competition.  Judging takes place in June and we will contact you to arrange a convenient time to visit your garden.

Who can enter

Private gardeners, schools, housing associations and formal or informal community groups of any sort.  There is also a category for rented properties.  

What happens after I have sent my application online?

Once you have submitted your wildlife garden competition application form the community conservation officer will sort them in to geographical areas and pass this onto the judges. However, only once the competition closes will you hear from your judge to organise the time slot to come and visit your garden.

Depending on when you entered the competition this may be up to two months after you sent in your application. Please bear with us at this time as we have to administer a high volume of applications.

However, if you are concerned that your application may not have been received please email wildlifegardeningcomp@dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk or ring 01202 692 033.

How is the competition judged? 

The judges will be assessing your garden for how much effort you put in to creating wildlife habitats and what you do to attract wildlife in your garden. Use the online form to itemise the evidence and preferably send us some photos too. 

In addition to the habitats you’ve created we are looking to see who gardens in the most sustainable way possible eg. recycling items, low pesticide/herbicide use, sensitive use of power tools. The judges will also be looking for new and innovative ideas in gardens e.g. using upcycled materials in your garden such as sinks for ponds or old boots as planters.

What if I don’t own my garden?

Don’t be put off if you live in a rented property of any sort or don’t own the garden you have made wildlife friendly.  We have a separate category that takes this into account and allows for the fact that you may not be able to make big structural changes.

What can I win?

Prizes will include a wildlife friendly selection of products, gardening vouchers, books and a Winner’s plaque.

There will be an Awards Ceremony for everyone who enters the competition at Castle Gardens, Sherborne and you will receive an invitation nearer to the date. 

Who can come to the awards ceremony?

Everyone who enters the competition is invited along to the awards ceremony. One free ticket is given to the entrant and then any additional tickets cost £5 per person which need to be paid for in advance by ringing 01305 264 620. If you are in the community category then 5 free tickets are allocated to you and any additional ones are £5 each.

When and where will the awards ceremony take place?

The awards ceremony will take  place at Castle Gardens garden centre, Sherborne. A light buffet  will be provided along with a speaker before the awards are given out. The date is TBC but is usually a late July evening.