WHAT's ON IN GODALMING?
GODALMING IN BLOOM
Read the results and look at the pictures from the prize-giving evening on 12th July - click on the box opposite... and would you like to join the team in 2025 - see our page for details.
Godalming in bloom
Our 2024 programme was generously sponsored by Godalming Funeral Service, Godalming Town Council, Natter Cafe, Russell's Hedges & Tree Care Services, Seymours Estate Agents, Squires Garden Centre in Milford - without their sponsorship we would struggle to achieve our programme and with it, the professionalism that is expected from us ... so our sincere thanks to all for your continued support.
Godalming in Bloom is a fun and friendly gardening competition, open to anyone and everyone who gardens in the GU7 areas of Binscombe, Busbridge, Farncombe and Godalming.
Godalming in Bloom is run by horticulturalists working as volunteers who hope to encourage everyone to garden and take care of the beautiful area in which we are so lucky to live in.
We visit schools, allotments, residential homes, restaurants, pubs, offices, anywhere and everywhere we can encourage people to garden. We'd like to encourage you to grow plants that are beneficial for bees and other insects, and to look after our wildlife and we invite you to enter our fun and friendly competition.
2024 NEWS
Our programme for this summer concluded with our prize-giving evening at the Wilfrid Noyce Community Centre on Friday 12th July in front of an audience in excess of a hundred people. Our Town Mayor and his consort joined us. This year also we added 'Community Gardens' to our programme.
WHAT HAPPENED?
A full winners listing from our 2024 programme is shown below and please enjoy the presentations - CLICK HERE
The following is a summary of who won what and why at the prize-giving evening
The winners were:
SCHOOLS
- Toddletown – The Godalming in Bloom Cup - First time entrants. mud bombs and scarecrows
- Busbridge Junior - The Barlows & Roffe Swayne (Glass) Trophy - Diary, great involvement of Garden Club members
- Busbridge Infants - The Rotary club of Godalming Woolsack Sunshine Shield - 287 sunflowers, one for each child, great involvement of children and range of plants
- Loseley Fields - The Waverley Trophy (Glass) - Self-sufficient in compost, brambe clearance, flourish, sensory garden
- Moss Lane – The Waitrose Cup - Great example of making do with what they had, planting on shopping baskets etc. enthusiasm from children for ecological ideas
Highly commended certificates were awarded to the Wharf Nursery, St Marks, St Edmunds & St Hilarys
ALLOTMENTS
- Arianna Pisetti & Davide Tavernini – The Jack Morris Plate - Best Allotment
- Frances & Dan Hyde – The Barlows & Roffe Swayne Trophy - Best Family Plot
- Polly & Kevin Stewart – Godalming in Bloom First Time Entrants Shield - Best Newcomers
- Sarah Keyworth & Shirley Purchese - Cornmeter Trophy - Best Scarecrow
- Margaret Heath – Chairman’s Award - Best for Wildlife & recycling
- Tim Stephens – Golo Gardener of the Year - Outstanding contribution to communities and charities
Highly commended certificates were awarded to Tonio & Claudina Riccio (very well kept allotments) Jenny Helyar (scarecrow runner-up) and Mirka Orsagova (unusual brassica collection)
GARDENS
- Rosemary Fargus – The Clare Sandy Cup - The Mayor's choice
- Martin Farr – Secretts of Milford Shield - Best large classical garden
- Ann Bellamy – The Best Large Garden Shield - Best designed modern large garden
- Isla Cubitt – Private Residences Shield - Best garden for encouragement of wildlife
- Dan Fox – The Legg Shield - Wildflower front garden
- Elaine Phipps – The Gordon Devereux Rose Bowl - Deputy Mayor's award
- Jennifer Snapes – The Doris Woods Perpetual Challenge Cup - A perfect small garden
- Shirley Purchese – The Waverley Trophy - A garden to lift the spirits
- Colin Martin - The Mayor’s Rose Bowl - A very impressive colourful garden
Highly commended certificates were awarded to Ann Laver, Dulcie Rayner and Alice Kyp.
COMMERCIAL
- Godalming Delights – Multiple Retailors Shield - Fantastic hanging baskets
- Godalming Funeral Service – Professional Services Shield - Beginnings of a special garden
- Godalming Town Council – The Town Council Shield - For all the flowers in the High-Street, the hanging baskets on the Pepperpot, the memorial garden at Nightingale Road cemetery, the Museum garden... and more
- The Cricketers – The Frank Legg Trophy (Cup) - Best pub frontage
- The Star – The Janet Robertson Shield - Best pub garden
- Fox & Finch – Public Houses Competition Shield - Best Pub
Highly commended certificates were awarded to The Charterhouse and The Richmond Arms (Public Houses)
COMMUNITY GARDENS
- Eashing Cemetery – Wildlife & Wildflower Trophy - If you want to see a wildflower display or in this case displays, a visit to Eashing Cemetery is recommended – a riot of colour jumps out at you in this so beautiful area
- St John’s Church – Godalming in Bloom Award (Cup) - The Quiet Garden at the Church – raised beds and some very old trees add to the tranquil areas around the Church – a special place to visit.
- Meadrow Court – Flower Competition, Multiple Stores Shield - you drive into Meadrow Court and see hanging baskets on all the houses until you reach the end and there’s Ken – he opens the gate into what is a garden filled with Roses and other delights leading down to Hells Ditch – this garden is tailored for the fortunate residents
- Farncombe Community Garden – Best Community Garden Shield - An ambitious project thought up by Binscombe Medical Centre and over the past couple of years an area has been developed for the community by the community – their vision is ‘growing community wellbeing’.
- Broadwater Youth Project – Special Award Shield - The Broadwater Youth Centre Wellbeing Garden Project is located within a unique and listed Crinkle Crankle Wall at the Youth Centre – Designed by RHS Wisley, the garden has raised garden beds, plants for fruit and vegetables and herbs – the walls are surrounded by existing paths and the beds are grassed – lots of help has been given by a variety of local companies and groups but the main aim of the Wellbeing Garden is to offer opportunity to provide workshops on healthy eating, food preparation, and the importance of environmental conservation. The young people and staff at the youth centre would like to create a small memorial garden as a celebration of life for the loved ones they have lost.
A Highly commended certificate was awarded to Farncombe Railway Station
For photographs of the winners - CLICK HERE
Our thanks also to Pizza Express who provided us with pizzas at the prize-giving - to The Star for providing the wine at the prize-giving - and to the Mayor of Godalming (Paul Rivers) and his consort (Penny Rivers) and to the deputy Mayor (Nina Claydon) who between them attended all the judging visits and a big Thank You to Godalming Funeral Service for ferrying our gardening team around on one of the judging days.
Simon Crowther – Chairman
You can now follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Finally...
Look at the link to the Memorial Garden - click HERE (updated September 2021)
Beth Otway is, as always, also sorely missed - however she is still very busy and writes for Vantage Point Magazine – read her monthly column and go to www.pumpkinbeth.com for more gardening tips & advice.
If you are interested in becoming involved, let chairman Simon Crowther - simoncrowther7@gmail.com or secretary Anne Eve at secretaryGIB@gogodalming.org.uk know - Many thanks.