Waverley Council celebrated the community's most dedicated green thumbs at the 2022 Garden Awards on Saturday.
Winners and runners-up were announced across five categories at a presentation ceremony held at stunning Bronte House.
The 2022 award categories were as follows:
- My Beautiful Garden
An award for home gardeners, garden designers and landscapers – whatever style of garden, this award is for garden lovers at large. Formal or informal the overall effect is WOW.
- Innovative Gardens
You and your garden are doing something different! Your garden might have created native habitat or have a great fruit and veggie patch. Or you are gardening in a challenging space, including terraces, indoor, balcony and vertical gardens.
- Special Street and Shared Gardens
Celebrating gardens located in public and/or shared spaces, including quality individual street side gardens, community gardens, business and collaborative style gardens.
- Dirt Kids
Recognising that kids can be great gardeners, too! Open to individuals and groups (under 18 years), including any type of garden within childcare centres, preschool and all local primary and high schools.
- Second Nature Habitat Garden
The Garden Awards acknowledge the role that residential gardens can play in contributing to biodiverse and resilient built environments by incorporating features and approaches to support habitat, thereby providing appealing spaces for humans, plants and animals to thrive.
The 2022 Garden Award winners are:
The Waverley Garden Awards has a rich history dating back to 1886 when it was the Waverley Flower Fair, held in Waverley Park with 13 stalls. This Flower Fair evolved over the years to become the prestigious Garden Awards that exists today.
The awards call for nominations from all types of gardens, as well as relevant information about how they contribute to our community here in Waverley.
Mayor of Waverley, Paula Masselos, said the judges found the process extremely difficult due to the quality and impact of the gardens nominated this year.
"Our Garden Awards celebrate the joy and tranquillity that gardens bring to our community," Mayor Masselos said.
"They recognize that local green thumbs contribute to the quality of our environment and wellbeing, and Council appreciates that in an area as densely populated as Waverley, our gardens come in all shapes and sizes.
"Gardening and gardens have many unseen benefits including environmental, social and health, and this was evident in the gardens of our talented finalists.
"Gardens aren't just beautiful outdoor spaces: they are good for community and gardening increases social cohesion, and is a healthy activity!
"Our Garden Awards help increase biodiversity in our local area and aligns with community interest in sustainable gardening practices.
"It also encourages children to take an interest in gardening and sustainability, sparking a life-long passion."
This year's judges were:
- Sue Stevens – Urban Ecology Coordinator, Waverley Council
- Ingrid Cheng – Senior Landscape Architect, Waverley Council
- Brandon Clark – Supervisor – Open Spaces, Waverley Council
- Guest judge and Bronte House resident Anna van der Gardner
- Councilor Paula Masselos (Mayor), Councilor Tony Kay and Councilor Ludovico Fabiano.
Waverley Council wishes to thank guest presenter, landscape architect, Costa Georgiadis for being a part of the Award's announcement.
We also thank our prize sponsors:
- Bunnings
- The Royal Botanic Garden
- The Garden Clinic
- Australian Institute of Landscape Architects
- Growing Well Garden Design
- Botanica Restaurant
