Find out about becoming a Guildford in Bloom volunteer on our Volunteering to help with Guildford in Bloom page.

Guildford in Bloom

Guildford in Bloom brings together community groups, businesses, schools and residents to promote imaginative ways to make the town and surrounding areas look their best and champion Guildford's natural environment.

School Gardening Competition 2019

Entry to the School Gardening Competition 2019 is now open!

Our theme for the competition in 2019 is "The Colours of Summer".

Competition brief

We are looking for imaginatively themed gardens and novel containers. We would like you to think about the following:

What does Summer mean to you?
What plants will you use in your garden?
- We particularly like plants that are grown from seed.
- We also like vegetables and plants that attract wildlife.
What containers will you use?
- Up to four containers will be judged for each entry.
- Using recycled containers and objects would be good.

The judges hope that you have lots of fun designing, planting and looking after your gardens.

How to enter

Please read the terms and conditions below and use our online form to enter the competition.

Terms and conditions

The competition is open to all schools in, or close to, the Borough of Guildford. You must have pupils in the school who live in the Borough of Guildford.
Entries must be received by the competition closing date of Friday 24 May 2019.
If you are using containers for your entry, up to four will be judged for each entry.
Judging will take place between 3 to 14 June 2019.
Judges will not be able to discuss individual entries and the judges' decision is final.
Winners will be notified by email and invited to the awards ceremony, which takes place on Wednesday 19 June 2019 at Clandon Park Garden Centre.
A list of winners will be published on our website and photographs of your garden and the Awards may be used for marketing purposes.

For more information, contact the Guildford in Bloom Coordinator, Lysandra McCulloch lysandra.mcculloch@guildford.gov.uk or 01483 444715.

Winners of the 2018 Guildford in Bloom Competition

Green-fingered creativity was celebrated through the theme of 'peace' to mark the centenary of World War I at the annual Guildford in Bloom Awards on 12 September 2018.

The Mayor of Guildford Cllr Mike Parsons presented more than 178 awards and six trophies at the event, held at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre. Audiences and winners were treated to a show-stopping opening from the Guildford Shakespeare Company while BBC Radio Surrey's Joe Talbot hosted the event.

See our Winners of Guildford in Bloom 2018 page for the full list of winning gardens.

Best in show and joint competition winners are Lisa Keech (Best Front Garden) and The Robin Hood (Best Pub in Bloom).

Here are the category winners:

Category	Winners
Best School in Bloom	Wonersh and Shamley Green School
Best Container Garden	Mr and Mrs K Comerford
Best Garden for Wildlife	Pewley Down Volunteers
Best Pub in Bloom	The Robin Hood
Best Allotment and Kitchen Garden	Les and Stella Hind
Student Garden Showcase	Ben Harbour and the University of Surrey Student Garden Team
Best Front Garden	Lisa Keech
Best Neighbourhood Project	Stoke Hospital
Best Themed Entry - Dorothy Walden Award	Snaky Lane Community Wildlife Group
Competition Winner (Joint Winners)	Lisa Keech (Front Garden) and The Robin Hood (Best pub)

Best Allotment/kitchen garden - Les and Stella Hind

Best neighbourhood project - Stoke Hospital

Dorothy Walden Award for best themed entry

Student Garden - Ben and University of Surrey

Pictured above: (top row, left to right) Best Front Garden; Best Pub Garden; (second row) Best Allotment; Best Container Garden; (third row) Best Garden for Wildlife; Best Neighbourhood Project; (fourth row) Best Themed Entry - Dorothy Walden Award; the Student Garden Showcase; (bottom row) Best School in Bloom.

Watch the Guildford in Bloom Awards 2018 video to see the winning gardens from the competition.

Winners of the School Gardening Competition 2018

The theme of the competition for 2018 was 'The World Around Us' and the overall winner was Wonersh and Shamley Green C of E Infant School.

List of winners

Lanesborough Pre-Prep School Silver Gilt
Unstead Park School Bronze
Gosden House School Silver Gilt
Pirbright Primary School Gold
St Nicolas CE Infant School Silver
Wonersh and Shamley Green C of E Infant School Gold Competition Winner
Shalford Pre-School Silver Gilt
Stoughton Infant and Nursery School Gold
St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School Silver Gilt
Worplesdon Primary School Gold
Jigsaw School Silver Gilt
Kings College Silver Gilt
Bushy Hill Junior School Silver Gilt
Wood Street Infant School Silver Gilt

The Awards Ceremony was held at Clandon Park Garden Centre on Wednesday 20 June 2018 and the winners were presented with their awards by the Mayor of Guildford Cllr Mike Parsons.

Picture of winning Garden Wonersh and Shamley Green School

Winners of the 2018 Guildford in Bloom Schools competition

Sponsors for Guildford in Bloom

If you would like to become a Guildford in Bloom Sponsor, please download a copy of our sponsors' application form from the Downloads on this page.

Guildford in Bloom gives you an excellent opportunity to promote your business while helping us keep the borough blooming.

You can sponsor a category, or become the major sponsor for the event.

Become a Guildford in Bloom Committee Member

We are seeking new Committee Members and volunteers to help with Guildford in Bloom. Find out more on our Volunteering to help with Guildford in Bloom page. For more information, please email parks@guildford.gov.uk or telephone 01483 444715.