image Simon Young
Judges are individual and have their own ideas of what makes a good competition garden. However there are some general guidelines on what most judges look for:
Garden Design – generally the artistic principles to your garden. Aspects such as layout, colour, use of line, form and texture are important. Your garden should have ‘flow’ (encouraging a visitor to your garden to keep moving through into another or new vista) and also be a place that a visitor would feel comfortable.
Selection and Condition of Plants – use of colour, form and variety with repetition. Year round interest of plant selection is desirable and not just a ‘popping colour’ garden prepared especially for the competition. Plants should be in good condition with no obvious damage from pests and diseases.
General Appeal – your garden should be pleasing to look at and be an environment that anyone would love to be in.
Lawn or substitute – if you have a lawn, it should be neatly presented with clipped edges and be of good health. Not all gardens have lawn so if there is a mulched area or decked area this should be clean and be an attractive inclusion to the garden.
Each of these four elements will be discussed in further posts.
