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Victoria in Bloom garden competition

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Nominations for the 2024-25 Victoria in Bloom Garden competition are open from Monday 26 August and close on 22 November 2024.

About Victoria in Bloom

Victoria in Bloom recognises and rewards the great work of gardening enthusiasts living in public or community housing.

It’s a way of saying thanks to renters for their hard work to create and maintain amazing gardens that contribute to the communities they live in.

Renters can enter all types of gardens – from balconies, to back yards and community gardens. No garden is too big or small.

There is no age limit either, with the Best Young Gardener category opening doors for under 25s who enjoy gardening or are thinking of a career in this field.

Victoria in Bloom recognises and rewards the great work of gardening enthusiasts living in public or community housing.

Award categories for 2024-25

  • Best Balcony or Container Garden
    Gardens that are on a balcony space or gardens made up of potted plants.
  • Best Small Enclosed Garden
    Gardens that are enclosed, such as courtyards.
  • Best Young Gardener (under 25)
    To enter this category, young gardeners must play an active role in gardening – either at home or in a community or school garden.
  • Best Household Garden
    Front or back gardens that are larger than a courtyard.
  • Best Sustainable Garden
    These gardens focus on being environmentally sustainable. They may include features like compost, water tanks, worm farms, mulch and drought-tolerant plants.
  • Best Community or Common Area Garden
    These gardens are in common areas and shared by a group of people, meaning they can be accessed and used by all the residents on a property. They are often part of an apartment or unit complex.
  • Best Edible Garden
    Gardens where most of the plants are fruit, vegetables and herbs.
  • Best Creative Garden
    A garden that has been designed using creativity, uniqueness and self-expression.
  • Best First Year Entered Garden
    Garden entered for the first time in the competition that is judged as best garden.

How do I enter?

To enter, once nominations are open, you need to register your garden in one of the following ways:

When you register you will need to tell us your:

  1. Name
  2. Address
  3. Email address (if you have one)
  4. Telephone number
  5. The award category you would like to enter (you can enter your garden in a maximum of two categories)

Downloads

How is the competition judged?

We judge the competition in two stages – first by division (North, South, East and West) and then statewide. Winners in each division go on to be finalists in their category for the statewide competition.

Award winners

2023-24 award winners

Best Balcony Garden or Container Garden – Leonie Porter (Inner Eastern Melbourne Area)

Best Small Enclosed Garden – Heather Lambert (Mallee Area)

Best Household Garden – Gerard Downard (Southern Melbourne Area)

Best Edible Garden – Braybrook, Maidstone, Sunshine Publich Housing Tenants Association (Western Melbourne Area)

Best Sustainable Garden – Christine Cherry (Barwon Area)

Best Community or Common Area Garden – Bozidar Atanasoski (Western Melbourne Area)

Best Creative Garden – Irene Mee (Loddon Area)

Best First Year Entered Garden – Amelia and Jefferey Benham (Mallee Area)

Best Young (under 25) Gardener – Dekoda Bell (inner Eastern Melbourne Area)

Watch a slideshow of the award winning gardens

The Victoria in Bloom Gardener of the Year award was presented to Heather Lambert for her superbly designed Small Enclosed Garden. 

2022-23 Victoria in Bloom award winners

The Victoria in Bloom Gardener of the Year award was presented to Dekoda Bell for his full and well-designed Creative Garden. 

Best Balcony Garden or Container Garden – Neil Arnott (Loddon Area)

Best Small Enclosed Garden – Carolyn Slevin (Barwon Area)

Best Household Garden – Carina Gemenis and John Wilson (Outer Eastern Melbourne Area)

Best Edible Garden – Barry Sharp (Inner Gippsland Area)

Best Sustainable Garden – Nola Nugent (Inner Eastern Melbourne)

Best Community or Common Area Garden – Aye Maung Asho (Outer Eastern Melbourne Area)

Best Creative Garden – Dekoda Bell (Outer Eastern Melbourne Area)

Best First Year Entered Garden – Campbell Laycock (Inner Eastern Melbourne Area)

Watch a slideshow of the award winning gardens

2021-2022 Victoria in Bloom award winners
  • Best Balcony Garden or Container Garden – Leonie Porter (Inner East Melbourne Area)
  • Best Small Enclosed Garden – Stan and Mary Phelps (Loddon Area)
  • Best Household Garden – Peter Huxtable (Loddon Area)
  • Best Edible Garden – Barry and Janice Sharp (Inner Gippsland Area)
  • Best Sustainable Garden – Chris Cherry (Barwon Area)
  • Best Community or Common Area Garden – Paul Nelson (Western Melbourne Area)
  • Best Creative Garden – Carina Gemenis and John Wilson (Outer East Melbourne Area)
  • Best Young Gardener (Under 25) – Dekoda Bell (Outer East Melbourne Area)
  • Best First Year Entered Garden – Wayne Clarke (Inner Gippsland Area)

The Victoria in Bloom Gardener of the Year award was presented to Paul Nelson for his amazing Best Community or Common Area Garden rooftop oasis. 

Watch a slideshow of the 2021-22 Victoria in Bloom award winning gardens

2019-2020 Victoria in Bloom award winners
  • Best Balcony Garden or Container Garden – Anna Grassi (Ovens Murray Area)
  • Best Small Enclosed Garden – Irene Mee (Loddon Area)
  • Best Household Garden – Karen Shand (North Eastern Melbourne Area)
  • Best Edible Garden – Kelly Hughes (Western Melbourne Area)
  • Best Sustainable Garden – Christine Johnson (Barwon Area)
  • Best Community or Common Area Garden – Paul Nelson (Western Melbourne Area)
  • Best Creative Garden – Helen Thompson (Southern Melbourne Area)
  • Best Young Gardener (under 25) – TRY South Yarra Pre School (Bayside Peninsula Area)
  • Best First Year Entered Garden – Robert Guy (Outer Eastern Melbourne Area)

The Victoria in Bloom Gardener of the Year award was presented to Karen Shand for her creativity and design in the best household garden category.

Watch a slideshow of the 2019-20 Victoria in Bloom award winning gardens

2018-2019 Victoria in Bloom award winners
  • Best Balcony Garden or Container Garden – Peter Fernando (Western Melbourne Area)
  • Best Small Enclosed Garden – Peter Harrison (Western Melbourne Area)
  • Best Household Garden – Debra Hanson (Mallee Area)
  • Best Edible Garden – Barry and Janice Sharp (Inner Gippsland Area)
  • Best Sustainable Garden – Daniel Budge-Welsh (Barwon Area)
  • Best Community or Common Area Garden – Hamida Abdi (Western Melbourne Area)
  • Best Creative Garden – Neriman Ali (Southern Melbourne Area)
  • Best Young Gardener (under 25) – Maddelyn Keen (Goulburn Area)
  • Best First Year Entered Garden – Elizabeth O’Keeffe (Wimmera South West Area)

The Victoria in Bloom Gardener of the Year award was presented to 21 year old Daniel Budge-Welsh for his sustainable garden, which uses aquaculture and hydroponics as well as a worm farm.

Watch a slideshow of the 2018-19 Victoria in Bloom award winning gardens

2017-2018 Victoria in Bloom award winners
  • Best Balcony Garden – Andie Sweeney, Shepparton
  • Best Small Enclosed or Container Garden – Irene Mee, White Hills
  • Best Household Garden – Tom Cipriani, Shepparton
  • Best Edible Garden – Gary Pickett, Point Lonsdale
  • Best Sustainable Garden – Ron Cruse, Sea Lake
  • Best Common Area Garden – Helen Rauschenbach, Moyhu
  • Best Community Garden Plot – John Sharpe, Coburg
  • Best Young Gardener – Brock Van Duinen, Shepparton

The Gardener of the Year award winner was selected from the winners of the general award categories.

The 2017-2018 Victoria in Bloom Gardener of the Year is Helen Rauschenbach for her efforts creating a colourful and tranquil common area garden for local renters to enjoy.

Watch a slideshow of the 2017-18 Victoria in Bloom award winning gardens

What does an award winning garden look like? Here are the past Gardeners of the Year videos.

Have you ever wondered what makes an award winning garden? 

Watch slideshows of the award winning gardens from past years.

The 2022-23 Victoria in Bloom Gardener of the Year award was presented to Dekoda Bell for his full and well-designed Creative Garden.

Learn about the rooftop garden that earned Paul Nelson the 2021-22 Victoria in Bloom Gardener of the Year award. You can also view the video transcript (word). 

 

Have a look at the community garden that earned Daniel Budge-Welsh the 2018-2019 Victoria in Bloom Gardener of the Year award. You can also view the video transcript (Word).

Hear 2017-2018 Victoria in Bloom Gardener of the Year Helen Rauschenbach talk about creating a colourful and tranquil common area garden for local renters to enjoy.