Galway City Council is inviting all keen gardeners to celebrate their wonderful green spaces in the annual Garden of the year awards 2023. Entries are welcome in a variety of categories including ‘Best Residential Estate’, ‘Best Front Garden’, ‘Best School’, ‘Best Public and Commercial Building’ and ‘Best Community Project’. Entries are invited online, by (date). Judging will take place throughout June and July with prizes including trophies and up to €300 for winners at an awards ceremony in the Autumn.
Speaking about the competition, Tiarnan McCusker, Environmental Awareness Officer with Galway City Council said, “year on year in the Galway City Gardens of the year awards, the city’s gardeners put on a spectacular display, with baskets of blooms, and carpets of colour and character in pockets across the city. Our garden competition this year is moving away from the focus on ‘Tidy’ gardens of the past, to celebrate biodiversity and space for wildlife, the humble bee, and other pollinators – who are more important now than ever. If you have a garden, or you see a garden that inspires others and is a feast for the eyes – and the ears if it’s full of bees! – we’d love to hear from you.”
In line with Galway City Council’s objectives in the Biodiversity Action Plan and the National Pollinator Plan, gardeners are invited to enhance their gardens and green spaces for wildlife and pollinating bees, birds, and insects. For gardens and green spaces to be good for pollinators, they need to provide food in the form of flowers; shelter for nesting; and safety from chemicals. More information on creating a pollinator friendly garden can be found at www.pollinators.ie/gardens
Entries are welcome online, through www.galwaycity.ie/galway-city-gardens-of-the-year by 4.00pm on Friday 26th May 2023.
Entry is free. More information, including the full list of competition categories, is also available online. For more information email [email protected]
Source: Galway City Council
