Welcome to Green Fingers 2010

Competition categories for this year are outlined below and judging takes place between 12th and 25th July. When you have decided which you would like to try - you can enter as many as you wish - you can fill in your entry form. Entry forms are printed in the East Anglian Daily Press or the Mercury and there will be helpful articles there from time to time. You can also get an entry form from the Tourist Information Centre on Angel Hill or by calling me, Isobel Ashton, on 01284 754993. As our sponsors for the competition, The East Anglian Daily Times have agreed to collect all entries at their office at 11 Woolhall Street and this return address is on the entry form.

Here is a brief idea of what the judges will be looking for in each of the 8 categories in Green Fingers 2010.

Front Garden - includes everything that makes your front garden great.

This is where you can make an impact - maybe startling or relaxing, vibrant or cooling, or just something unusual that pleases you. How does it make passers-by feel? Do you grow a range of permanent plants appropriate to your garden, such as trees, shrubs, climbers and herbaceous plants that will stay in the garden for a number of years and provide interest at different seasons? Summer colour, for example, bedding, planters and hanging baskets, can be difficult, and take a lot of skill to be really impressive.

Back Garden - includes all the elements you have chosen to put together in your space.

How does it work for you? Do you grow flowers, fruit, vegetables? Do you have water in the garden? Do you need to accommodate children, elderly people, pets? Do you grow plants for visual impact? Do you grow a range of permanent plants appropriate to your garden, such as trees, shrubs, climbers and herbaceous plants that will stay in the garden for a number of years and provide interest at different seasons. You may want to add summer colour, for example, bedding, planters and hanging baskets, but not all garden styles need these. Do you use your plants because of their shape, colour, perfume?

Private Residential Frontage - if you don’t have a front garden but have made your street frontage look fantastic.

Only you know what will work with the given frontage and street scene wherever you are. In Summer time you may decide on hanging baskets, planters or window-boxes. You may have innovative ideas to bring these up to date. Don’t forget to water, weed and dead-head your display!

Allotment - where growing produce is the priority.

What are the priorities for your plot? Soft fruits, vegetables, flowers, hedges, fruit trees, chickens? Let us look at your ‘plot of land’. Are you traditional or innovative – or perhaps a combination?

Care Home or Hospital Garden - appreciating the needs of those you care for.

Judges will be looking to see how your gardens give their users a good feeling! Is the area easy to access and get around? Colours, shapes, sounds and things to feel could be important as well as fragrance and maybe a nice place to sit. You may be able to tell judges about the people who help maintain the garden and how funds were raised.

Neighbourhood Group - an area where people are working together to improve the natural environment to make a real difference where they live or for the benefit of others.

Judges will be looking for projects which are designed and carried forward by a group of people with the aim of improving a part of the natural environment. In doing this you may need to liaise with one or more authorities. If you wish, you can display information about your project. The judges will be more interested in what you have to tell them, than in the quality of the presentation, so don’t think you have to spend too much on this. Say something about the need for the project, its design, how difficulties have been overcome, how long it may take to complete and, most importantly, about the people involved and how it is funded. You may also wish to let ‘Green Fingers’ know in plenty of time that you would like the judges to see such information. Remember - you may be describing a project which is overcoming certain difficulties, or which may take some time to complete. Judges will be looking for improvements and commitment - not necessarily perfection!

Wildlife Friendly Garden - where gardening shown that the needs of wildlife are your priority.

With your interest in wildlife you will have made sure birds, bees and other creatures are welcome in your garden. If birds and bees visit your garden other creatures surely will. Most wildlife gardeners also try to work in a way which is kind to the environment, such as reducing the use of chemicals, and using peat-free composts. Having a pond increases the range of wildlife you will see.

Business Frontage -includes all that makes your premises stand out wherever and whatever your business.

What does it take to make your frontage stand out and delight customers and passers by?

Our Judges really look forward to seeing how you can share in making Bury’s environment a joy to everyone.

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR ENTRY!

These are pictures of last year's category winners

Well over 100 people attended to receive their Bronze, Silver or Gold certificates in the ten different categories. Each category had an overall winner, and here they are, with photographs,

Public Frontage - Bury St Edmunds Fire Station	Care Home - St Nicholas Hospice
Group - Funkids, Anselm Community Centre	Whole garden - Peter Nicholls, 163 Tollgate Lane
Allotment - Jean & William Browning	Wildlife Garden - Grange Residential Home
Garden Feature - Michael Camps, Bridewell Lane	Private Frontage - Valley Connection, Churchgate Street
Rear Garden - John Kent, Westgate Street	Front garden - Christina Graham, Priors Avenue

Some of the triumphant category winners