Blooming Lambeth Awards 2022 are open for entries – and the closing date has been extended to midnight on Sunday 3 July.
£4,000 worth of prizes will be awarded to this years’ to winning and highly commended entries.
Every grower in the borough has the chance to win a cash prize and be recognised for their contribution to making it a better place to live.
The awards are organised by Incredible Edible Lambeth (IEL), a network of around 270 food growers and activists, and sponsored by Lambeth Council.
IEL’s aim is to “re-localise” the food system in Lambeth so that it nurtures us and strengthens our communities.
The Blooming Lambeth organisers said: “Coming together to garden and grow food in Lambeth has never been more important; the looming Lambeth Awards are a wonderful celebration that acknowledges the passion and commitment of people who make Lambeth bloom. We are excited to see this year’s nominations and delighted to be announcing two new categories: Best space for encouraging wildlife and Most imaginative use of greening a small space.”
These are this year’s categories in full:
1. The Ivor Picardo Award for abundant growing of edibles
Do you know a space that is full of growing veggies and/or fruit in a public facing space? Your nomination can be for a passionate individual or community group growing food from seed or seedlings.
This award is in memory of Ivor Picardo, a champion of food growing who worked for Lambeth council encouraging growing in public areas including estates.
2 Best School Garden
IEL wants to celebrate school gardens that are an inspiration to pupils. They should teach children about the wonder growing of food from seed or seedlings and provide them with the skills to nurture their food growing space ; encourage children to try the food they’ve grown and explore new tastes; and have a space that encourages children to engage with wildlife and play in nature.
3 Most enthusiastic young gardener – at home or in a school
IEL is looking for enthusiastic young (under 18) gardeners who have discovered the joys of growing and/or tending plants. Have they overcome barriers to learn a new growing skill? Are they encouraging others of any age to join in?
4 Best volunteer for a community growing space
Do you know someone who goes the extra mile for their community growing space? Someone who encourages others with their dedication and commitment? Do they share their skills and knowledge? IEL want to hear about these inspiring individuals.
5 Best resident-led community garden
Resident-led initiatives where communities have come together to grow together are the basis for this award. If you know of an excellent community growing space on a housing estate, or a pocket parklet on a street, or a street that has added planters of its own which are tended by the community, then why not nominate the initiative?
Winners will be able to demonstrate that they grow a large amount of food relative to the amount of space you have.
6 Best garden in bloom
IEL is seeking an uplifting display of blooms in a small or larger space. This could be in a doctors’ surgery garden, your or your neighbour’s front garden, or a local park.
7 Best space for encouraging wildlife
This award is for growing areas with a focus on supporting wildlife. Do they have pollinator friendly plantings with lots of wild flowers and a pond? Have the gardeners created insect and amphibian habitats? Do they provide homes and/or food for wildlife such as birds and bats?
8 Most imaginative use of greening a small space
IEL recognises that many passionate growers do not have gardens of their own and is looking for entries such as window boxes, window sills, ab8ndant hanging baskets, balconies or small front gardens. Are edibles grown in any of these small spaces?
Alternatively the winner could be one of the growing army of people passionate about house plants with a lush interior space filled with them.
