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Islington in Bloom

Islington in Bloom is your local horticultural competition run by Islington Gardeners and Islington Council.

Islington in Bloom 2025

Thank you to all the residents, community groups and businesses who entered Islington in Bloom this year. We had 261 entries, including many for the new category of best balcony.

As ever, the judges were impressed by the extraordinary efforts that people have gone to create a greener and healthier Islington.

We are looking forward to another fantastic competition in 2026. In the meantime, there are many ways to get involved in greening Islington, including volunteering in your local park.  or adopting a tree pit.

 

Winners of Islington in Bloom 2025:

Best community garden 

1st place: Sunnyside Community Gardens

2nd place: Friends of King Henry's Walk

3rd place: Olden Community Garden

Best park garden

1st place: St John's Garden

2nd place: The Green Guardians

3rd place: Thornhill Square Gardens

Best estate garden

1st place: Highbury Quadrant Estate Nature Garden

2nd place: Wedmore Estate Garden

3rd place: Greenman Street Community Garden

Best children’s planting 

1st place: Robert Blair Primary School

2nd place: Pooles Park Primary School

3rd place: Hargrave Park Primary School

Best edible garden 

1st place: Dominic Suckley

2nd place: Octopus Community Plant Nursery

3rd place: Nilu Sapugoda

Best window box

1st place: Patricia Jordan

2nd place: David Heath

3rd place: Elizabeth Perry

Best container garden  

1st place: Louise Souter

2nd place: Romell Slater

3rd place: Franck Maze

Best front garden 

1st place: Annie Monaghan

2nd place: Chris Carter

3rd place: Sanja Milankovic

Best tree pit garden

1st place: Lizzie Boyle

2nd place: Julian Davison

3rd place: Jean Shaoul

Best blooming business 

1st place: The Café 91

2nd place: Arsenal Station Staff and Residents

3rd place: Angel Central Shopping Area

Best street  

1st place: Canonbury Energy Garden

2nd place: Rees Street

3rd place: Yeshi and Jolene Restaurants

Best hidden gem 

1st place: Anita Gracie

2nd place: Julia Coyne

3rd place: Jasmine Maylanchi

Best Balcony

1st place: Oliver Hymans

2nd place: Tim Bacon

3rd place: Rafael Montero and John Sloboda

Best Newcomer

Bright Lives

Best Improvement

Jacqueline Bright

Best Ward

Barnsbury

Community Impact Award

Children of Brecknock Road Estate

Nancy Pattenden Award for Wildlife

Olden Community Garden

Sponsors of Islington in Bloom

Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for their generosity.

 

Islington is one of London’s most densely populated boroughs with the least amount of green space – so we need to make the most of every centimetre of growing space. We want Islington to be greener and healthier, and our gardening competition is a great way for us to reimagine our shared spaces together and make this happen.

You don't need to have any experience - or even a garden - to take part! There are a wide range of categories listed below, there really is something for everyone.

Gardening has many benefits for people and the environment:

  • it raises our spirits by making our surroundings more beautiful
  • it supports biodiversity and helps protect our environment by making Islington more attractive to pollinators and other wildlife
  • it brings people and communities together
  • it is great for health and wellbeing, and it's fun! 

What are the categories?

There are lots of categories to enter, a front garden, tree pit or a community garden. You can enter as an individual, a community group, a business, or you can delight someone else by nominating their planting that you admire.

The categories for 2025 are: 

  • Best community garden (large community gardens, community centres with staff)
  • Best park (groups gardening in public open spaces)
  • Best estate (estate gardening groups, residential care homes etc)
  • Best children's planting (category for schools, children's centres, and projects led by children)
  • Best edible garden (food growing)
  • Best window garden
  • Best container garden (majority of plants growing in containers)
  • Best front garden (majority of plants growing in the ground)
  • Best tree pit garden
  • Best blooming business
  • Best street (residents groups gardening eg multiple front gardens, tree pit gardens, parklets, etc)
  • Best hidden gem (private spaces ie back gardens, roof terraces etc)
  • Best balcony

How can I enter?

You can enter Islington in Bloom via the online entry form

The deadline for entries is 11.59pm Friday 6 June.

You will need:

Two photos of your entry (Photos should try to represent your overall entry rather than close ups of individual elements eg flowers)

• The category you are entering 

• Your name 

Your address 

Your email address 

Your phone number

Are you nominating yourself or another project?

Details of your nomination – or the project you are nominating

What are your tips for taking great photos of my entry?

Photographs are important to help with judging. Please photograph as much of your planting as you can.

Before you start, wipe your camera lens with a lint-free cloth such as a glasses cloth. Activate HDR or high-resolution mode on your camera app (if applicable).

If possible take your photos from two different angles.

Do not submit photos of individual plants or people.

Often landscape format will help you capture more of your garden than portrait.

Avoid facing directly into the sun when taking photos – often cloudy days can help prevent awkward shadows.

For window boxes and balconies please include a view from the street.

How does the judging process work?

When the competition closes, our judges (who are all volunteers from Islington Gardeners, the local community and council staff) will review all entries.

We are always looking for more judges so if you are interested please contact inbloom@islington.gov.uk

Traditionally, gardening competitions were all about colourful hanging baskets and neatly trimmed lawns, but here in Islington, a densely urban setting, we want to recognise all sorts of gardening and gardeners, and to encourage a positive impact on biodiversity in our borough. 

Here are some of the things that judges are looking for:
• Sustainable plants that can tolerate drier conditions.
• Perennial plants instead of annual bedding plants
• Collecting rain water and using mulch to suppress weeds and retain water. 
• Use of recycled or upcycled materials. 
• Is it a good place for wildlife? Are there plants that provide food sources for birds, bees and other pollinators? 
• Wild life habitats such as a bird box or feeder, bug hotel, log pile, or small pond or water feature. 
• Is it attractive? Is there a good mixture of plants? Are there different textures, colours and shapes of leaves? Do you have plants that will provide interest all year round – evergreen shrubs, climbers or trees? 
• Is it well-tended, pruned, watered, and looking healthy? Is the planting suitable for the space and does it work well in its location? 
• Does it include edibles such as herbs, fruit, or vegetables? 

The judges will then give you a score, based on which you will receive one of the following awards: 

Gold (85% and over) 
Silver Gilt (75-84%) 
Silver (60-74%) 
Bronze (50-59%) 
Certificate of Merit (0-49%) 
 
There are also first, second, and third places for each category.

 

What will the judges be looking for?

In the past, gardening competitions were all about colourful hanging baskets and neatly trimmed lawns. This year we want to go further, so we have made some changes to the guidelines that will help you make a positive impact on biodiversity in our borough. 

Here are a few things to think about when planning your entry for Islington in Bloom:  

  • Is your planting sustainable, with plants that can tolerate drier conditions and perennial plants instead of annual bedding plants? Are you collecting rain water and using mulch to suppress weeds and retain water? Have you used any recycled or upcycled materials? 
  • Is it a good place for wildlife? Are there plants that provide food sources for birds, bees and other pollinators? Is there a small wild area for habitat? Is there a bird box or feeder, bug hotel, log pile, or small pond or water feature? 
  • Is it attractive? Is there a good mixture of plants? Are there different textures, colours and shapes of leaves? Do you have plants that will provide interest all year round – evergreen shrubs, climbers or trees? 
  • Is it well-tended, pruned, watered, and looking healthy? Is the planting suitable and does it work well in its location? 
  • Does it include herbs, fruit, or vegetables? 

When will I find out the results?

Results will be announced in September and award certificates will be sent out via email. 
There will also be a celebratory event, details of this will follow.

How can I stay up to date?

Check the website to stay up to date with the competition.  

For gardening tips and fun facts, follow our Instagram account @islingtoninbloom. Here you can also be inspired by the creations of some of last year’s winners. You can also share your work and help us promote the competition by using the hashtags #IslingtonBlooms and #IslingtonInBloom on Twitter and Instagram. 

We will inform entrants of the results by email.

Thank you to our generous sponsors

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