Get gardens blooming for council competition

Green-fingered council tenants are invited to get their gardens ready for competition and submit their entries for this year’s North Lanarkshire In Bloom awards.

The annual showcase highlights the best garden spaces across the area, from colourful window boxes and crisp manicured lawns to shared gardens and vegetable plots.

Following on from the success of last year’s awards, the local authority has added additional categories that cover a wider range of green space.

A winner from each locality will be selected, together with winners of six categories, which are set to challenge gardeners of all abilities: Best Individual Garden Award; Best Shared/ Communal Garden Award; Best Use of Space; Most Improved; Best Sustainable Garden; and Best Young Gardener (under 30).

Convener of housing, Councillor Michael Mcpake, told us: “Our tenant garden awards are now seen as a favourite event in our tenant participation calendar.

“It’s a great opportunity to get your garden in shape and ready to enjoy over the summer months.

“It’s really pleasing to see the diversity of entries each year, from garden spaces cultivated by tenant groups and neighbours to individual gardens across the area. Their colourful creations bring local communities to life. Good luck to everyone entering.”

Tracy Lennon, tenant participation manager, added: “Last year we received the largest number of entries yet.

“We’re always delighted with the enthusiasm that surrounds our annual awards and every year we see standards rise, with tenants becoming more imaginative in the use of their garden space.

“We’re encouraging more tenants to enter or to nominate a neighbour in their local community who has a show-stopping garden.

“We’re looking forward to another bumper crop of entries in this year’s competition and seeing North Lanarkshire in bloom.”

There is plenty of time to get your garden looking its best – with a July 26 closing date – and you can find more details via www. northlanarkshire. gov. uk/ housing/ get- involved/ nlbloom

Flower power Councillor Michael Mcpake (left), and 2023’s overall In Bloom award winner Tommy Ellis, from Airdrie