Barking and Dagenham Council has crowned the winners of its first-ever Gardener of the Year Awards, celebrating residents whose beautiful gardens are helping make the borough greener, brighter and more welcoming.
The new competition was launched by the council to recognise residents who take pride in their outdoor spaces and the positive contribution they make to their neighbourhoods. The awards celebrate creativity, dedication and community spirit, inspiring more residents to take pride in their gardens, and highlighting that positive difference starts here with local neighbourhoods.
Leader of the council, Councillor Dominic Twomey, joined Councillor Maureen Worby, Cabinet Member for Housing, Adult Social Care and Health, and the competition’s sponsor, Chandlers Roofing Supplies, to visit the winning gardens and personally present the prizes.
The overall winner received £300 in garden vouchers, second place was awarded £150 and third place received £50. The judges were impressed by the high standard of entries, with each winning garden showcasing the time, care and passion residents have invested in creating vibrant outdoor spaces.
Councillor Dominic Twomey, Leader of Barking and Dagenham council, said:“It’s fantastic to see the success of our first-ever Gardener of the Year Awards. These gardens are a real credit to the residents who have created them and show the pride people have in their homes and communities. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners and thank you to everyone who entered. This is a great example of how it starts right here, with residents making a positive difference in their neighbourhoods.”
Councillor Maureen Worby, Cabinet Member for Housing, Adult Social Care and Health, said: “I wanted to create an award that celebrates the residents who quietly make our borough a more beautiful place to live. The response to our very first competition has been fantastic, and visiting the winning gardens has been a real privilege. I hope this becomes a much-loved annual tradition and inspires even more people to enter in the years ahead.”
David Platt, Branch Manager of Chandlers Roofing Supplies, said:“We are proud to support the council’s first Gardener of the Year Awards and celebrate the residents whose hard work and creativity have transformed their gardens. It was wonderful to meet the winners and see the impressive standard of entries. Congratulations to everyone who took part.”
The winners embody the spirit of the council’s ‘It Starts Here’ campaign, highlighting how individual actions can make a positive difference to local neighbourhoods. The dedication to creating beautiful outdoor spaces helps strengthen community pride and showcases the people and places that make Barking and Dagenham such a great place to live.
The Gardener of the Year will return next year and residents are encouraged to look out for it and either nominate themselves, or a neighbour to be in for a chance to win.