Summer gardening competition for green-fingered tenants

Manchester's green-fingered residents are being invited to show off their skills in a city-wide gardening competition.

Cash prizes of up to £750 are on offer in the Manchester City Council organised competition, open until June 30.

Judges will be looking for colourful, innovative displays, in which residents make good use of space, but contestants will also get extra points for including environmental awareness features such as composters, rainwater collectors and wormeries.

The contest is open to all Manchester private tenants, as well as tenants of the City Council, Adactus, Northwards Housing and Southway Housing. Grove Village, Harvest Housing and Manchester District Housing Association tenants living in central Manchester can also enter.

Categories include best private housing garden, non-private housing garden, communal garden, tower block communal garden, young gardener, balcony, school/nursery garden and business display.

There are also categories for most environmentally friendly gardener, best newcomer/most improved garden as well as a tenants and residents nomination.

Judging will take place from mid-July until the end of August, and all winners will be invited to a special awards ceremony at Manchester Town Hall in October.

Councillor Eddy Newman, Executive Member for Neighbourhood Services, said: "A good garden that can be appreciated by the whole community, not just the resident who has created it. The City Council knows Manchester residents have a lot of pride in their communities and are keen to make the city a green place to live. This summer's gardening competition is an excellent way of encouraging them to continue doing so."

Anyone who wants to enter should call 0161 953 2733.

Media contact:

Conrad Astley, tel 0161 234 4027