Gardens and Allotments Awards

There will be some changes to the Garden Awards in 2016. Commended, Highly Commended, Runner Up & Winner in each of the 3 wards of the parish will still be awarded with an overall Cup Winner for the best garden. However it has been decided that for any garden with the same resident(s) winning the Cup in any 3 of the previous 5 years, the resident(s) will be presented with a lifetime award in recognition of their continued high level of commitment and achievement and will no longer be entered for a further award.  Individuals and Councillors can submit entries for the garden awards during the last 2 weeks of June. The ‘Secret Garden’ Award will continue for those gardens which would  not normally be seen by a passerby.  Entrants must agree to publicity and to opening their ‘Secret Garden’ for public viewing for a minimum of 3 hours during the second weekend of August. Entries can be submitted by individuals in the last 2 weeks of June, with contact details, either electronically as a photo attachment to an email or a photo delivered to the Council Office. There will be a Business Award with Winner and Runner Up to encourage individual businesses to make their frontage even more attractive. All gardens/ floral displays will be judged by an external independent person in the first 2 weeks of July for their visual effect, their general maintenance, the use of plants and materials and the physical input required in making and keeping the area attractive. The Best Allotment Award for each of the two areas of Allotments will stay as will Most Improved Allotment overall, to be judged by Amble Allotment Holders Committee in the last 2 weeks of June. Those shortlisted in all these categories will be invited to the Awards night later in July when the certificates and prizes will be presented.