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Easter service changes

During the Easter period, some of our services will be operating slightly different hours. Our council’s bin collection schedule will change for one week starting on Friday 29 March to make sure everyone’s waste is picked up around the bank holiday.

See the full schedule and your amended rubbish and recycling collection dates and other service changes including parking and library opening times over the Easter period.

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Islington in Bloom

Islington in Bloom is your local horticultural competition run by Islington Gardeners and Islington Council.

Islington in Bloom 2024

Islington in Bloom 2024 will open to entries on Friday 3 May, and close on 7 June.

This will be the 21st year of the annual gardening competition, and we want it to be bigger and better than ever!

We are keen to hear from all of Islington's diverse communities. There are plenty of categories to choose from, you don't need to have any gardening experience - or even a garden - to take part. Categories include tree pit gardens, window boxes and community gardens, so there really is something for everyone.

You can enter via a simple online form, with two photographs of your gardening project.

All entrants will receive a voucher for a bag of compost to encourage you to keep gardening!

More information on how to enter will be available on this page on 3 May.

Islington is one of London’s most densely populated boroughs with the least amount of green space – so we need to make the most of every centimetre of growing space. We want Islington to be greener and healthier, and our gardening competition is a great way for us to reimagine our shared spaces together and make this happen.

Gardening has many benefits for people and the environment:
• it raises our spirits by making our surroundings more beautiful
• it supports biodiversity and helps protect our environment by making Islington more attractive to pollinators and other wildlife
• it brings people and communities together
• it is great for health and wellbeing, and it's fun! 

 

Categories for 2024:

Best community garden 

Best park

Best estate 

Best children’s planting 

Best edible garden   

Best window box

Best container garden  

Best front garden 

Best tree pit garden

Best blooming business 

Best street  

Best hidden gem 

For more details on which category to enter please see the pull-down menu below.

Sponsors of Islington in Bloom 2024

Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for their generosity - The Islington Society, Active Landscapes, Islington Housing Service, Angel Central, Blakedown Landscapes, Partners for Islington, Camden Garden Centre, Thor's Trees, N1 Garden Centre, The Angel Association, Islington Gardeners, Warwick Landscaping, Marlborough Highways and Holloway Park.

If you feel inspired by Islington in Bloom, you could apply for funding to create or improve a green space in your local area as part of our Islington Greener Together programme, and become an Islington Greener Together Champion to receive support and training.

Find out more about the Islington Greener Together programme.

What are the categories?

There are lots of categories to enter, a front garden, tree pit or a community garden. You can enter as an individual, a community group, a business, or you can delight someone else by nominating their planting that you admire.

The categories for 2024 are: 

  • Best community garden (large community gardens, community centres with staff)
  • Best park (groups gardening in public open spaces)
  • Best estate (estate gardening groups, residential care homes etc)
  • Best children's planting (category for schools, children's centres, and projects led by children)
  • Best edible garden (food growing)
  • Best window garden
  • Best container garden (majority of plants growing in containers)
  • Best front garden (majority of plants growing in the ground)
  • Best tree pit garden
  • Best blooming business
  • Best street (residents groups gardening eg multiple front gardens, tree pit gardens, parklets, etc)
  • Best hidden gem (private spaces ie back gardens, roof terraces etc)

How can I enter?

The competition will open on Friday 3 May, check back here from that date for details on how to enter.

The deadline for entries is 11.59pm Friday 7 June.

You will need:

Two photos of your entry (Photos should try to represent your overall entry rather than close ups of individual elements eg flowers)
Your name 
Your address 
Your email address 
Your phone number
Are you nominating yourself or another project?
Details of your nomination – or the project you are nominating

What are your tips for taking great photos of my entry?

Photographs are important to help with judging. Please photograph as much of your planting as you can.

Before you start, wipe your camera lens with a lint-free cloth such as a glasses cloth. Activate HDR or high-resolution mode on your camera app (if applicable).

If possible take your photos from two different angles.

Do not submit photos of individual plants or people.

Often landscape format will help you capture more of your garden than portrait.

Avoid facing directly into the sun when taking photos – often cloudy days can help prevent awkward shadows.

For window boxes and balconies please include a view from the street.

How does the judging process work?

When the competition closes, our judges (who are all volunteers from Islington Gardeners, the local community and council staff) will review all entries.

We are always looking for more judges so if you are interested please contact inbloom@islington.gov.uk

Traditionally, gardening competitions were all about colourful hanging baskets and neatly trimmed lawns, but here in Islington, a densely urban setting, we want to recognise all sorts of gardening and gardeners, and to encourage a positive impact on biodiversity in our borough. 

Here are some of the things that judges are looking for:
• Sustainable plants that can tolerate drier conditions.
• Perennial plants instead of annual bedding plants
• Collecting rain water and using mulch to suppress weeds and retain water. 
• Use of recycled or upcycled materials. 
• Is it a good place for wildlife? Are there plants that provide food sources for birds, bees and other pollinators? 
• Wild life habitats such as a bird box or feeder, bug hotel, log pile, or small pond or water feature. 
• Is it attractive? Is there a good mixture of plants? Are there different textures, colours and shapes of leaves? Do you have plants that will provide interest all year round – evergreen shrubs, climbers or trees? 
• Is it well-tended, pruned, watered, and looking healthy? Is the planting suitable for the space and does it work well in its location? 
• Does it include edibles such as herbs, fruit, or vegetables? 

The judges will then give you a score, based on which you will receive one of the following awards: 

Gold (85% and over) 
Silver Gilt (75-84%) 
Silver (60-74%) 
Bronze (50-59%) 
Certificate of Merit (0-49%) 
 
There are also first, second, and third places for each category.

 

What will the judges be looking for?

In the past, gardening competitions were all about colourful hanging baskets and neatly trimmed lawns. This year we want to go further, so we have made some changes to the guidelines that will help you make a positive impact on biodiversity in our borough. 

Here are a few things to think about when planning your entry for Islington in Bloom:  

  • Is your planting sustainable, with plants that can tolerate drier conditions and perennial plants instead of annual bedding plants? Are you collecting rain water and using mulch to suppress weeds and retain water? Have you used any recycled or upcycled materials? 
  • Is it a good place for wildlife? Are there plants that provide food sources for birds, bees and other pollinators? Is there a small wild area for habitat? Is there a bird box or feeder, bug hotel, log pile, or small pond or water feature? 
  • Is it attractive? Is there a good mixture of plants? Are there different textures, colours and shapes of leaves? Do you have plants that will provide interest all year round – evergreen shrubs, climbers or trees? 
  • Is it well-tended, pruned, watered, and looking healthy? Is the planting suitable and does it work well in its location? 
  • Does it include herbs, fruit, or vegetables? 

When will I find out the results?

Results will be announced in September and award certificates will be sent out via email. 
There will also be a celebratory event, details of this will follow.

How can I stay up to date?

Check the website to stay up to date with the competition.  

For gardening tips and fun facts, follow our Instagram account @islingtoninbloom. Here you can also be inspired by the creations of some of last year’s winners. You can also share your work and help us promote the competition by using the hashtags #IslingtonBlooms and #IslingtonInBloom on Twitter and Instagram. 

We will inform entrants of the results by email.

Thank you to our generous sponsors

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