Every year the Aylesbury Town Council organises the Aylesbury in Bloom garden competition for resident, organisations/businesses and schools.

Categories range from Best Front Garden, to Best Back Garden, Best Edible Garden, Best Wildlife Nature Garden and Best Container Garden to Best Communal Garden.

The gardens are judged by volunteer judges Sandra Ferguson, Rosemary Brown, Anne Brooker, Janet Leech and Sue Wright, who are all keen gardeners and horticulturalists. All of them have been judging gardens for many years and are always happy to help the participants with tips and advice.

We would like to express our sincere thank you to all the judges for giving up their time and spending days looking around all of the magnificent gardens.

This year the judging and awarding criteria were changed to be similar to the Royal Horticultural Society ones. According to the overall marks achieved participants were either awarded a certificate, bronze, silver, silver gilt or gold medal.

For the full results in each category please see the table below.

During their days of looking and marking all gardens the judges also saw some amazing Communal Gardens, all of them with a different purpose. Two were to provide respite to patience, others were to provide the residents with an area where they can sit and relax or work in the garden, whilst fostering community and others brightened up relaxing gastronomy areas.

The Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity achieved the highest marks in communal garden category and was awarded the Mayor’s Cup.

The Overall Best Garden winner of the crystal trophy are Mr P & Mrs M Walker. Their garden is a great example of what can be done within a small space. Through the use of containers with a mixture of evergreens, bamboo, ferns, perennials and annuals they created an oasis. Interspersed with a variety of artefacts, mirrors, sculptures and water features it ensures that you see a different aspect of the garden no matter where you look.

The runner-up and commendation prizes were also awarded to the recipients during the awards evening.

The judges reiterated that all gardens they had seen throughout the summer were simply stunning and that the love and tender care which goes into these gardens shone through in every aspect.

The awards presentation took place on 19th September at the wonderful Lindengate Gardens. Town Mayor Cllr Mike Smith together with Mark Vosper from our competition sponsors Michael Anthony Estate Agents handed out medals, trophies and prizes to the participants.