2026 Results

Aspire Wild Gardening Women

The Aspire Wild Gardening Women have created a beautiful and peaceful garden outside their premises using fruit, herbs, vegetables and ornamentals in colour coordinated containers in a sunny and peaceful corner of a car park. Crocheted bunting and handwritten signs adorn the troughs.

Avon Court Housing 21

Avon Court is a retirement living scheme with residents who are dedicated to making their environment a beautiful place to live. All the volunteers should be highly commended for their ongoing dedication, care and commitment to improving the gardens and their environment.

Brierdene Wildlife Site

The Brierdene Wildlife Site sits in around 6 hectares of land between a golf club and the sea. It is a mixture of woodland, scrub, wild flower meadow, unmown and mown grass and is home to at least 1140 species. It has well-maintained paths and bridges providing access for most abilities.

Browney Residents Association

Browney Residents Association have created a lovely haven out of a derelict area for locals to participate in, growing vegetables and plants and encouraging wildlife, or just to sit and enjoy the outdoor space and the regular events that are held there.

Building Self-Belief at Benfieldside Community Garden

With considerable work by an army of volunteers, including hard landscaping, terracing and formation of paths, seating areas, play areas and a forest school, this previously neglected space has been transformed. Trees were sensitively pruned, raised beds created for vegetables, fruit trees and shrubs planted, original features preserved, and a sensory garden planted, all following the best environmental principles. The award-winning garden is loved and cherished by all, and has proven to be very beneficial to the well-being of the local children, who are at the heart of every activity.

Carew Court

The planting at Carew Court is looking wonderfully colourful and attractive and the residents’ commitment to this achievement is lovely. There are beds of perennials, annuals, wild flowers and planters and hanging baskets adorn many of the front door areas. This is an important ecological achievement and the residents are justifiably proud.

Cultivate 4 Life

Cultivate 4 Life extol the benefits of horticulture for peoples’ wellbeing, from the work it does on the allotment plots to the gardening work it undertakes in the community. Its innovation and willingness to repurpose and reuse as much as possible is commendable, along with its outreach beyond the allotment plots.

Friends of Addison Park

This is a well used and loved park. Its entrance was particularly attractive with its colourful summer bedding plants and good use is made of height and heritage with the planters chosen. There are many habitats to encourage biodiversity and plenty of pollinators were visible during the visit. The facilities and activities offered to the human users were of high quality and popular.

Friends of Gosforth Central Park

Central Park is a wonder. Situated in the middle of a large urban area, it provides amenities for every section of the community. There are beautiful flower beds, tremendous mature trees, wildlife areas, play and picnic areas and large areas of grass. It provides a venue for a large number of events from ceremonies at the war memorial to open-air yoga classes, and is much appreciated by all walks of life and all ages. The large band of keen volunteers ensure that the park is lovingly tended and maintained.

Friends of Red House Ramble

What was once an unimaginative and inappropriately overplanted tree-filled area between houses on this estate has been improved to provide a wildlife-friendly, well-loved and well-used community green space.

High Newport Allotments

High Newport Allotments is a very clean, tidy and well-managed site containing 57 individual plots in total. All the plots are very productive with a wide range of vegetables, fruit and flowers being grown. Composting, recycling and rainwater harvesting is actively encouraged. Organic, wildlife friendly gardening methods are used throughout. Overall this site provides many health, well-being and social benefits for the plot holders.

Higher Ground

This fantastic 10 year old village project scores highly in all our criteria. It initially just grew organic vegetables but has expanded to embrace access to work, to provide away-days for large organisations, as well as a local library, a coffee den, and space for activities like a Repair Shop and music rehearsals. There is a nursery growing endangered species which are being redistributed throughout the area, all carried out to the benefit of local wildlife and residents.

Highfield Village Community Action Group

A beautifully maintained area which, after this difficult summer, is looking very well. Used by the local community for exercise, dog walking or just relaxing, the space has well thought out planting and the orchard is maturing well. The surrounding area is well maintained and is used for a number of events during the year.

Southwick Green

This green space is a triumph of grassroots community spirit and urban greening. It successfully turns an everyday transit and shopping zone into a place of reflection, joy, and collective pride. The creative reuse of planters, the balance between memory and modern youth art, and the evident local respect for the site and the history make it a superb example of ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’. Congratulations to all the volunteers, donors, and local residents who make this space thrive.

St. John’s Hall, Meadowfield

This is an excellent project enjoyed by wildlife and humans of all ages. There is welcoming, colourful planting at the entrance to the hall and then a multipurpose garden at the back. The back garden is colourful and productive and hosts fun events and enjoyable opportunities for learning and relaxation.

St Mary’s Island Wetland Conservation Group

St Mary’s Island Wetland Reserve is about 10 acres in total with a fenced area providing a safe habitat for a range of birds, insects and mammals. Although interference from humans is kept to the bare minimum, congratulations are due to all involved in making a peaceful oasis next to an increasingly busy seashore.

The Billingham Horticultural Group

Billingham Horticultural Group have taken over what was an extensive garden and allotment area. The priority has started with the original polytunnel and the vegetable garden in raised beds. Progress has been made with the addition of water collection tanks and a composting area. With the experience and enthusiasm of the volunteers the garden will no doubt progress well.

The Friends of Kepier Woods

The Friends of Kepier Woods group manages meadowland, woodland, paths, a river and drainage channels. The path along the River Wear was once a pilgrimage route to Durham Cathedral and stone for the cathedral came from a quarry within the woods. Wildlife and history go hand in hand. The Friends work with other groups to look after all aspects of the area and run events and activities to keep nature and the area’s heritage at the front of people’s minds.

The Middletons Memorial Garden

Middleton’s memorial garden project is a community led effort to restore and enhance the War Memorial area through sustainable planting, careful maintenance and wildlife-friendly improvements, while preserving an important local place of remembrance.

The Rose Wall

The Rose Wall is a new project this year; it has already achieved the enhancement of the front area of the village, creating a garden to be proud of. Their aim is to have colour throughout the year, with flowering plants that encourage wildlife.

Weardale Railway – Garden of Reflection

The community and volunteers working together have produced this beautiful, peaceful Garden of Reflection, an attractive space that reflects the care invested in it. Considerable thought has gone into the garden’s design, including the development of pathways, seating, sustainable planting, and features that encourage wildlife.

Whinfield in Bloom

Whinfield in Bloom is a pleasure to visit with its swathes of Spring flowers lining the roads, paths and hedgerows. The group should be commended for its hard work and continued dedication to improving the area.