The Competitions
The Main Competition
For villages, towns, cities, urban and coastal communities across Northumbria. Show our judges what your community has achieved through gardening, caring for the local environment and working together.
Entries for 2027
Tuesday 1 December 2026 to Monday 1 February 2027
How to enter
Entering takes three steps. Entries for 2027 open on Tuesday 1 December 2026 and close on Monday 1 February 2027.
1
Find your class
Check your community’s electoral roll (adults eligible to vote) and use it to choose your class from the table below.
2
Read the Entrants’ Handbook
It explains the classes and fees, how judging works, and gives tips on scoring points and planning your judging tour.
3
Enter and pay online
Complete the online entry form. The fee is paid when you enter: PayPal is preferred, and BACS or cheque can be arranged with our Treasurer.
Classes and entry fees
Choose your class using your electoral roll figure. Each class has a one-off entry fee, paid when you enter.
Class 1
Small Village / Village
Electoral roll: up to 1,000
£65
Class 2
Large Village / Small Town
Electoral roll: 1,001 to 6,000
£125
Class 3
Town / Large Town / Small City
Electoral roll: 6,001 to 100,000
£250
Class 4
Urban Communities
£220
Class 5
City Centre
Area: 1 km radius
£220
What happens after you enter
Our judges are all volunteers. They visit twice during the year, and every entry receives a written feedback report.
1 to 30 April 2027
Spring judging
Your judges make their first visit. It’s a good time to talk through your plans and agree any Special entries, which are entered by 31 May.
1 to 31 July 2027
Summer judging
The main judging tour. Afterwards your judges write a feedback report and award your medal, both of which are presented at the Awards Ceremony.
Wednesday 29 September 2027
Awards Ceremony
Medals and awards are presented at our annual Awards Ceremony. Tickets go on sale from 23 August.
Giving a presentation: you can ask for up to 15 extra minutes in the summer tour for a short presentation. Let your judges know several weeks in advance and arrange the venue and equipment yourselves. Most entrants now use their portfolio instead.
How your entry is judged
Judges look at three areas across your whole entry. The marking criteria explain exactly what they look for in each one.
40%
Horticultural achievement
Standards of gardening knowledge, skills and practice.
30%
Environmental responsibility
Care, maintenance and improvement of the local environment.
30%
Community participation
How local people are involved, and how the campaign will keep going.
Good to know
Paying your fee. Fees are due when you enter. PayPal is preferred. To pay by BACS or cheque, contact our Treasurer, Robert Germany, at robertgermany903@gmail.com.
Your population figure. Please make sure the figure you give is accurate and matches your electoral roll.
Photos for your entry. You can send us photos of your community through our photo uploader.
Specials. Main Competition entrants can also enter up to 10 Special categories at no extra cost. Find out about Specials.
Questions about entering?
Our Entrants Co-ordinator, Colleen Ashwin Kean, is happy to help. Trustees and judges can also mentor new entrants.