Dorset Wildlife Trust (DWT) is celebrating the 10th Anniversary year of the Wildlife Friendly Gardening Competition with its sponsors, The Gardens Group, and invites anyone who is gardening with wildlife in mind to enter the annual competition.
This year’s competition was launched at the same time as DWT’s largest ever campaign, Get Dorset Buzzing, which asks people who pledge to take part to welcome pollinators into their gardens this spring and summer. Over 2,700 people have pledged to do one thing for wildlife in their garden and have received their free pack, so it is expected that there will be even more gardeners looking after their green spaces with wildlife in mind this year.
Categories for the competition include small, medium, large and rented, as well as community spaces in schools, businesses and other groups. This year the judges will be paying special attention to any pollinator-friendly plants or features, such as a bee hotel, and special recognition will be given to those looking after their gardens with sustainability in mind.
This year the awards ceremony will be held on 25th July and will feature DWT’s President, Dr George McGavin, who will give a talk on his specialist subject: insects.
Mike Burks, managing director of The Gardens Group, adds: “The Wildlife Friendly Gardening Competition always gives us a great opportunity to talk to customers about the benefits of green gardening practices, no matter what size or shape of their outdoor spaces. Over the past 10 years we have continued to be impressed and inspired by gardeners of all ages across the county, who are creating wildlife havens to help ensure a sustainable future for the environment. With the comprehensive Get Dorset Buzzing Campaign also running this year, the county’s gardeners have even more advice and support on hand to help give bees, butterflies, bugs and more a warm welcome when visiting our gardens.”
DWT’s Community Conservation Officer, Katie Wilkinson said, “We are so excited to be in our 10th year of running this competition with the Gardens Group, and it’s going to be bigger and better than ever! There are so many gardeners looking after wildlife in Dorset and this is a great way to recognise their achievements and celebrate their success. The Get Dorset Buzzing campaign has created a real buzz around helping pollinators specifically, and we’re really looking forward to visiting the gardens and seeing what new ideas and innovations people have had this year to welcome wildlife into their green spaces, no matter how big or small.”
The deadline for entries to the Wildlife Friendly Gardening Competition is Friday 31st May. Please complete the online form at www.dorsetwildilfetrust.org.uk/wfgc. It’s free to enter, and judging will take place in June and July. All entrants will be invited to an awards ceremony on July 25th and will receive gardening prizes, kindly provided by the Gardens Group.
Visit www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/get-dorset-buzzing to sign up to Get Dorset Buzzing and receive your free online pack, and packet of wildflower seeds, to be collected from any one of our visitor centre’s in Dorset.