West Midlands Grow & Garden Competition
The West Midlands Grow & Garden Competition is a celebration of practical gardening skills, creativity, sustainability, and community pride. Whether you are completely new to gardening, a keen allotment grower, part of a community group, or a professional in the horticulture industry, there is a category for you.
This competition is designed to encourage people to grow plants, develop gardens, design green spaces, repair and restore tools, and creatively reuse materials for gardening.
All entries will be judged against a clear set of criteria and awarded a Bronze, Silver, or Gold medal standard. There are enough medals for everyone, meaning participants are judged on how well they meet the standard rather than competing directly against one another.
Entry is Completely Free thanks to the National Lottery .
In some categories we can also provide free materials, and there will be free practical workshops to help participants develop their skills and achieve the best possible results.
You can enter as an individual or as part of a community group, and there are categories suitable for every ability level — from complete beginners to experienced professionals.
Alongside the medals, we will also award several Best in Show prizes. These celebrate those who have made the greatest progress during the competition, meaning someone who starts with little experience but produces an outstanding result could be just as likely to win as an experienced gardener.
The Best of the Competition Exhibition will take place on Saturday 27th June, where the top entries will be showcased. Judging for each category will take place during the two weeks leading up to the exhibition.
Book on a FREE practical workshop below to get your free resources to enter the competition:
| Workshop Details and Competition Categories |
| FREE Design A Garden Plot or Allotment Workshops Create a scale drawing plan of a garden plot or allotment. Your design should demonstrate structure, year-round interest, productivity, and environmentally sustainable features. There are 3 workshops that all must be booked on in order to complete a design: 17/4/26, Â 24/4/26 Â & 1/5/26 start time 1pm finish time 2pm book your free spaces onto our 3 practical workshops to help you get competition ready through the Eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/free-design-a-garden-plot-or-allotment-workshops-17426-24426-1526-tickets-1985724523504?aff=oddtdtcreator |
| FREE Compost Workshop – Get Competition Ready | Grow & Garden Competition Improve your composting skills and prepare a competition-ready sample. Learn about structure, balance, and maturity for high-quality compost. Oakdene Nurseries will be judging your compost when you enter a sample on 1st June 2026! Will it be a gold silver or bronze Book yourself onto the early evening workshop 6pm-7pm Friday 17th April using the Eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/free-compost-workshop-get-competition-ready-grow-garden-competition-tickets-1985726803323?aff=oddtdtcreator Book yourself onto the early evening workshop 10am-11am Friday 1st May  using the Eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/free-compost-workshop-1st-may-get-ready-for-grow-garden-competition-tickets-1985727266709?aff=oddtdtcreator |
| Green Space Custodians FREE Workshop – Prepare Your Site | Grow & Garden Competition Prepare your allotment or community garden for judging. Sustainability and layout workshop. Learn how to prepare your allotment, community garden, or green space for judging. We’ll cover layout, maintenance, and sustainability improvements. To book onto the Tuesday 28th April morning workshop please use the Eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/green-space-custodians-free-workshop-get-your-site-competition-ready-tickets-1985728228586?aff=oddtdtcreator |
| FREE Hanging Pots Workshop – The Beginner Planter (Fri 8th May) Hanging Pots – The Beginner Planter A perfect starting point for new gardeners. Plant a simple hanging pot using flowers or edible plants and demonstrate good plant choice, care, and presentation. FREE Hanging Pots Workshop – The Beginner Veg Planter for (Fri 8th May at 1pm book on the link below: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/free-hanging-pots-workshop-the-beginner-planter-fri-8th-may-tickets-1986054683020?aff=oddtdtcreator FREE Hanging Pots Workshop – The Beginner Planter (Mon 18th May 6pm) https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1985993590290?aff=oddtdtcreator |
| Hanging Baskets – Bigger and Bolder Take the next step from a hanging pot and create a full hanging basket display. Show your ability to combine plants for colour, productivity, and long-lasting seasonal interest. Free Hanging Basket – Bigger and Bolder Workshop Wed, May 20 at 6:30 pm https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/free-hanging-basket-bigger-and-bolder-workshop-tickets-1986085362784?aff=oddtdtcreator |
| Tray Bake Garden from Plug Plants Design a compact tray garden using plug plants. Combine flowers and/or vegetables to create a small but productive and visually appealing growing space. Tray Bake Garden from Veg’ Plug Plants FREE Workshop Fri, May 15 at 10:00 am https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/tray-bake-garden-from-veg-plug-plants-free-workshop-tickets-1986086117040?aff=oddtdtcreator Tray Bake Garden from Flowering Plug Plants FREE Workshop Wed, May 20 at 1:00 pm https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/tray-bake-garden-from-flowering-plug-plants-free-workshop-20-may-tickets-1986086425964?aff=oddtdtcreator |
| Planted Tubs – The Portable Garden Create a container garden in a tub or large pot. Entries can feature vegetables, herbs, or bee-friendly flowers, demonstrating thoughtful planting and good growing techniques. Planted Veg’ Tubs – The Portable Garden FREE Workshop Fri, May 8 at 10:00 am https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/planted-veg-tubs-the-portable-garden-free-workshop-tickets-1986089748903?aff=oddtdtcreator Plant a Flower Tub FREE Workshop May 20th Evening Class Wed, May 20 at 7:30 pm https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/plant-a-flower-tub-free-workshop-may-20th-evening-class-tickets-1986090493129?aff=oddtdtcreator |
| Brocalade – Upcycled Container Planting Turn waste materials into wonderful planters. Use recycled or salvaged items to create an innovative planted container filled with bee-friendly flowers or edible plants. Brocalade – Upcycled Container Planting FREE Workshop Fri, May 22 at 10:00 am https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/brocalade-upcycled-container-planting-free-workshop-tickets-1986091355709?aff=oddtdtcreator |
| Vintage Garden Tool Restoration. Give an old tool a new life. Restore, repair, and rejuvenate vintage or worn garden tools, showing craftsmanship and respect for traditional gardening equipment. FREE Vintage Garden Tool Restoration Workshop 28th April Tue, April 28 at 10:00 am https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/free-vintage-garden-tool-restoration-workshop-28th-april-tickets-1986224119810?aff=oddtdtcreator FREE Vintage Garden Tool Restoration Workshop 12th June Evening Class. Fri, Jun 12, 2026, 5:30 PM https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/free-vintage-garden-tool-restoration-workshop-12th-june-evening-class-tickets-1986224400650?aff=oddtdtcreator |
Explore the categories below and find the challenge that suits you.
Portable Gardens – Tubs, Containers, Trays, Hanging Pots & Baskets.
Hanging Pots – The Beginner Planter
A perfect starting point for new gardeners. Plant a simple hanging pot using flowers or edible plants and demonstrate good plant choice, care, and presentation.
Hanging Baskets – Bigger and Bolder
Take the next step from a hanging pot and create a full hanging basket display. Show your ability to combine plants for colour, productivity, and long-lasting seasonal interest.
Planted Tubs – The Portable Garden
Create a container garden in a tub or large pot. Entries can feature vegetables, herbs, or bee-friendly flowers, demonstrating thoughtful planting and good growing techniques.
Brocalade – Upcycled Container Planting
Turn waste materials into wonderful planters. Use recycled or salvaged items to create an innovative planted container filled with bee-friendly flowers or edible plants.
Tray Bake Garden from Plug Plants
Design a compact tray garden using plug plants. Combine flowers and/or vegetables to create a small but productive and visually appealing growing space.
Greenspaces, Gardens, Allotments and Garden Design.
Green Space Custodians
Open your allotment, community garden, or public green space to our judges. We will assess the site for beauty, layout, maintenance, productivity, and environmental sustainability.
(Sites must be accessible to the public.)
Garden Design
Create a scale drawing plan of a garden plot or allotment. Your design should demonstrate structure, year-round interest, productivity, and environmentally sustainable features. book your free spaces onto our 3 practical workshops to help you get competition ready through the eventbrite link:
Enviromental Sustainability Categories
Compost Champion
Do you make your own compost? Bring a sample of your homemade compost for our experts to judge based on quality, structure, maturity, and usefulness in the garden.
Book yourself onto the early evening workshop 6pm-7pm Friday 17th April using the Eventbrite link:
Book yourself onto the early evening workshop 10am-11am Friday 1st May  using the Eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/free-compost-workshop-1st-may-get-ready-for-grow-garden-competition-tickets-1985727266709?aff=oddtdtcreator
Brash Hedge Building
Construct a traditional brash hedge using branches and foliage. Judges will look for both practical function and wildlife habitat value.
Professional Gardening Equipment & Tools
Vintage Garden Tool Restoration
Give an old tool a new life. Restore, repair, and rejuvenate vintage or worn garden tools, showing craftsmanship and respect for traditional gardening equipment.
Professional Garden Blower
Show your efficiency and skill with a powered leaf blower. Competitors will demonstrate how effectively they can gather litter and leaves into a controlled collection area.
Professional Lawn Mowing
Can you mow perfectly straight stripes and leave a lawn looking immaculate? Demonstrate professional mowing skills by cutting a section of lawn to the highest standard.
Watch this space to learn more about how you or your community group can take part in the The West Midlands Grow & Garden Awards where we will be celebrating gardeners of every kind and level — from blooming beginners to horticultural heroes!
