TIME RUNNING OUT FOR BRIGG PEOPLE TO ENTER GARDEN COMPETITION

FROM NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE COUNCIL

There are only a few weeks left for you to enter your garden in North Lincolnshire Council’s Best Kept Garden Competition 2014 that celebrity gardener Alan Titchmarsh is supporting. Make sure you don’t miss out!

Are you a keen gardener? Are you proud of your garden? Do you think it’s a winner? Then enter the Best Kept Garden competition. The closing date is 31 May 2014 – enter your garden today.

Alan Titchmarsh MBE is showing his support for the competition, he said:

“Growing things is such an important part of life, and encouraging children to understand nature and do their bit by gardening is a wonderful and vital thing to do. Congratulations on your endeavours. Grow well!”

This year we have extended the competition, so even more people can enter. Including families, children and young people, people with disabilities and people who are interested in bio-diversity

There is a fantastic prize on offer for the winners of each category to spend a fascinating afternoon with Normanby Hall Country Park’s Head Gardener, Paul Beetham.

He will take the winners on a tour of the award-winning gardens and beautiful grounds at Normanby Hall and answer questions on all aspects of gardening before rounding off the day with delicious afternoon tea in the elegant Regency Dining Room.

There are eight categories for people to enter, they are:

• Best garden maintained by someone with a disability
• Best eco-friendly garden – a garden that demonstrates biodiversity by encouraging insects and wildlife
• Best family garden – a domestic garden or allotment which all the family maintain
• Best school garden – a garden within a school that is maintained by the pupils
• Best allotment (under 16s) – an allotment of part of an allotment that is maintained by someone under 16 years old
• Best allotment (over 16s) – an allotment which is maintained by a person over the age of 16
• Best small garden
• Best large garden

It is free to enter the competition and the deadline for entries is 31 May 2014. Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to show off your garden.

You can enter the competition by completing the online form at: www.northlincs.gov.uk/bestgardencompetition2014. You can also collect a form from your nearest council venue, including local links, libraries, leisure centres, Normanby Hall Country Park, North Lincolnshire Museum, 20-21 Visual Arts Centre and main council offices in the next few weeks.

Coun Nigel Sherwood (Brigg & Wolds), cabinet member for highways and neighbourhood, said: "We have made a few changes to the competition this year so that even more people can take part. We want to encourage people of ages and abilities to enter the competition. If you are proud of your garden and want to show it off then let us know about it. It is always fantastic to see all the different ideas people have for their gardens. Make sure all your hard work isn’t gone unnoticed and enter today.

“If you have always wanted to try your hand at gardening but just haven’t got round to it, why not give it a try? There are so many benefits to gardening, including keeping you fit and healthy.”

Judging will take place in July and the Mayor of North Lincolnshire will take part in the judging process.

A presentation evening will then be held in August at Normanby Hall Country Park to present the winners with their trophies. The Mayor of North Lincolnshire will be attending. It will be an opportunity for everyone to see all the gardens entered into the competition and the winning gardens.