Could your street win best turned out in Britain?

Hi, Gardens Corner, I hope you don't mind the unsolicited post here but I think you will be interested in this.
I'm running a competition called Cultivation Street with RHS gardener David Domoney @daviddomoney. The winner of the best turned out street in the UK wins £10,000 worth of National Garden Gift Vouchers, which isn't a bad prize.
We need more entrants. The winners won't be chosen till the August bank holiday weekend so there's a bit of time but please send over your applications now.
All you need to have is four consecutive front gardens and send us a picture and your contact details to http://cultivationstreet.com/
All the best, Sean.

 

Your joking aren't you my neighbour can't even be bothered to brush her hair never mind tend the garden

 

That's a great competition .... Think I must have same neighbour as mowgley ...... Is it ok to send this around to other gardeners for you ?

 

No chance in my street either, 27 bungalows and I am the only one with a garden, all the rest went for the slabbed option.

 

Our neighbourhood used to be locally nicknamed 'the garden city', because our little suburb was full of people who were proud of their gardens.

Sadly not so now. Over the road from me the two houses' approach to gardening is to either strimmer the lot once a year, or simply not bother at all. Next door is an old lady who has a garden that I can tell used to be nice, but since her husband passed on it hasn't been maintained because she can't keep up with it. Before anyone says it I've offered to help but she wont let me. She has a hired gardener who keeps letting her down but she is too either proud or stubborn to let anyone else help.

That's not to say it can't be done. There's a few good examples of community garden projects that are a great success. Incredible Edible in Todmorden is an excellent example but there are others. In fact I think I saw a thread on here not so long ago about a street in South Shields.

 

We could do a virtual street with all GC members gardens on it.
Win hands down.

 

I'm putting a proposal together, hopefully ready next year, of a local gardening comp and exhibition in conjunction with a local charity to get as many parts of our town involved. Everything from a kids sunflower growing comp to best in each category to an overall winner. Not done anything like this before and I'm quite excited about it. I'm going to ask local nurseries and garden centres to donate plants/ seeds whatever as prizes and they, hopefully, can sponsor. Also, not just plants, but to involve fruit/veg growers through the local allotments

. I've already spoken to the mrs about it ( who is the business development manager for the local community centre charity) about bagging the centre for the day to put on kids shows, stalls for sellers of plants, fruit veg and anything gardening related. Also, the prize giving will be held there. A long way to go as a lot is still in my head at the moment, but I'm sure it'll work ( nothing has been done here before!!) and it'd be great to raise funds for local charities.

 

I've always wanted to do something like that al n, but have no idea how to even begin. Let us know how you get on.

 

sir al n
Sounds like a great idea mate

 

Thanks clue, nervous but excited!

Advertising is almost sorted, through local websites, I'll get the local papers involved too early next year. Funding will come from entrance fees ( thinking of 2 quid pp, £1 for kids, plus any sellers,it'll be around £5 a table. There are quite a few rooms in the community centre and each will hold about 6 big tables, plus the main hall which with that and the rooms of it, will hold another 40 or so. Lots still to think about, ie hot food stalls, drinks supplies etc......

 

Do you have to worry about the full range of insurance policies or does the venue take care of that? I'm think you'll need at least public liability insurance, and if its going to cost you if it goes pear shaped, event insurance too (cover for losses through last minute cancellation due to things like weather or the venue being inaccessible).

 

Thanks dood!

 

Already sorted, thanks clue, both is covered through the community centre, and as its purely for the charity, so is their bank account! weather doesn't matter as it'll be all indoor on the final day. I think I've thought of everything inc kids entertainer, who I hope will give their time for free if we advertise for them on the sites free of charge. I'll also speak to local nurseries to see if any staff can give a morning or so of their time to do a q&a slot. So much in my head, just need it put to pen and paper.

 

I will, of course, be entering my own garden!