Entry Info 2024
Here you can find all the entry forms and guidance notes you need
Engage | Encourage | Recognise | Reward
Registration for 2024 is Open
Last date for registration is 15th March 2024.
Got a Question?
Please use the Contact Form to get in touch
Cities, Towns, Villages; City & Town Centres; & Parks
Entries in our City, Town, Village, Business Improvement District and Town Centre categories are eligible to be considered for our Regional and School Awards (see below). They are open to any entry and are intended to encourage key aspects of the Bloom initiative within the Region.
We will be offering awards for parks, open spaces and cemeteries.
As usual this is split into green space up to 1 hectare and green space over 1 hectare
Stage 1 - Register by 15th March
Stage 2 - Arrange a judging visit in July
Regional Awards
Entries in our City, Town, Village, Business Improvement District, Town Centre and Business Landscape categories are eligible to be considered for our Regional and School Awards which recognise excellence in particular areas. They are open to any entry and are intended to encourage key aspects of the Bloom initiative within the Region
Thames & Chilterns in Bloom are continuing with our own major Regional Award – “Caring for the Environment”. This seems particularly apt as managing sustainability becomes more and more critical to the future of our planet. Further information is available on the Regional Award themes information sheet. Entrants may, however, have their own overall theme which pulls together aspects of their In Bloom entry. Should this be the case, please be sure to point it out to the judges who will be interested to hear more.
Regional Awards are only presented when there is a deserving recipient, so not all Awards are presented every year.
Last year, we introduced a new Regional Award: “Doing More with Less”. We are aware that entrants are becoming more and more stretched financially and with a reduced number of back-up facilities, and yet, you are continuing to maintain high standards. We believe this effort should be recognised.
Changes from 2023
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The judges will take a view on what regional award(s) you may be eligible for during their visit. You can no longer nominate for an award yourself.
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The Business Involvement Award has been removed since there have been no nominations for this particular award for several years.
Regional Awards List
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Community Involvement Award
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Conservation and Wildlife Award
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Doing More with Less
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Heritage Award
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Horticulture Award
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Involving Children and Young People
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Pride of Place Award
Further information is available on the Regional Award themes information sheet.
We encourage you to put yourselves forward for a maximum of three of these awards by informing the judges of your interest when they arrive on the day. The judges retain the discretion to decide whether the requests meet the required standard.
Schools
Each City, Town or Village entry is able to nominate one school for an award.
The Mark Mattock Schools Challenge, is presented to the school that best meets a range of criteria as described in the School Marking Sheet (download opposite). These fit in with aspects of the RHS School Gardening Scheme, Eco and Forest Schools.
Business Landscape
A new award category from 2022.
If you are a hotel, shopping mall, retail park or hospitality venue with a great horticultural display, why not consider entering.
We are happy to discuss with you prior to entering. Just fill in the Contact Form and we'll get back to you.
Business Landscape entries are also eligible for up to three of the Regional Awards mentioned above.
Stage 1 - Register by 15th March
Stage 2 - Arrange a judging visit in July
It's Your Neighbourhood
It’s Your Neighbourhood is a free to enter non-competitive scheme for community groups who want to ‘green up’ local areas – adding some colour to your community, making new friends and getting active in your local area.
The RHS provides resources and information on It's Your Neighbourhood on their community pages here.
Stage 1 - Register by 15th March
Stage 2 - Arrange a judging visit in late June/July