We have collaborated with Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust and Warwickshire Wildlife Trust
to introduce the "Wildlife Friendly Garden in a Pot” Design Competition.
The deadline has now passed. Stay tuned to see the winners!
In collaboration with Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust and Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, we want you to design a Wildlife Friendly Garden in a Pot that makes space for nature and increase bio-diversity. By that we mean using planters, window boxes or containers. Making space for nature in an urban environment where natural features are scarce. We are looking for creative and practical ideas that can inspire people to create their own using features from your design.
The Criteria
- The maximum surface area of your design (pot/container) should be 1.8 metres x 1.8 metres (6ft x 6ft). There is no minimum size area you can choose.
- The maximum height for your design should be 1.8 metres x 1.8 metres (6ft x 6ft).
- The design should look to promote native species and avoid invasive non-natives plants.
- It should maximise opportunities for urban wildlife to thrive and utilise sustainable, recyclable and local materials and resources where possible.
- It should look to incorporate features that provide food, shelter and water in creative ways for as many species as possible.
- The resources and materials to create the garden (excluding basic tools and labour) should total no more than £2,500.
- The winning design will be created on a Wildlife Trust education centre used by local community groups including schools. The plot is south facing, sheltered on one side and situated on an accessible path. The design should feature an explanation as to its suitability for this plot to demonstrate its practical use.
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The competition is open to all, with two distinctive categories:
- Professional Designers
- Public / Students with no commercial experience
What you will gain from the project:
One lucky winner will be announced on the first day of the show and will be invited to create their design at Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust’s Centre of the Earth education centre in Birmingham!
Winners will receive media coverage before and after in the LANDSCAPE online magazines as well as in related trade media including features online and on social media.
The winning entries will be announced and displayed at LANDSCAPE on the 27th & 28th September 2023
Register to attend for FREE!
What is required?
Presentations should be submitted digitally on a single A1 page that outlines your vision for this new garden. It is up to you to decide what this presentation contains but it should definitely include an illustration of your inspiration, narrative as well as a brief written explanation.
Submissions should also detail the category in which you are entering.
Please also include a short profile of yourself in your accompanying email. You may submit individually or as a team in which case include a profile of each person.
The Prizes!
Professional Prize
- The winning entry will be announced and displayed at LANDSCAPE 2023 at the NEC, Birmingham on the 27th & 28th September 2023.
- The winner will be invited to create their design at BBC Gardeners World Live at the NEC in June 2024. A budget will be provided to support this.
- Following the exhibition at the NEC the cost of relocating and recreating the design will be covered. The winning design will then be installed at Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust’s Centre of the Earth education centre in Birmingham. Up to £2,500 towards the costs of the materials and resources for the garden in a pot will be provided. The garden will be maintained by Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust.
Public Prize
- 1st prize: Goody Bag worth over £53 including 4 issues of Wildlife Watch magazine, wildlife friendly seedball matchbox, flat-packed bird nest box kit, ‘The Wildlife Pond Book’ by Jules Howard and ‘Wildlife Gardening for everyone and everything’ by Kate Bradbury.
- 2 runners up will each receive a prize worth over £24 each including 4 issues of Wildlife Watch magazine, wildlife friendly seedball matchbox, Bloomsbury ‘Concise Wildlife Garden Guide’ and a set of 5 greeting cards with images from local photographers.
- Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust and Warwickshire Wildlife Trust will showcase entries via social media to encourage others to get creative and support nature’s recovery in their own gardens.
The final selection will be made by independent professional designers and colleagues from Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust and Warwickshire Wildlife Trust as well as Andrew Fisher Tomlin from the London College of Garden Design. The decision of the judges is final.
The deadline has now passed. Stay tuned to see the winners!
