David Bellamy School Garden Competition 2012

OVER 80,000 people who visited the 2012 Southport Flower Show, got the chance to see the gardens designed by 2 youngsters who entered a competition sponsored by the West Lancashire Freemasons. The prestigious David Bellamy School Garden Competition was won by Jessica Simpson from Ashbridge Independent School in Preston and Mia Hodkinson and Emma Chapman who made a joint entry from Stanton Road Primary School in the Wirral. The competition that is held each year in association with Southport Flower Show and the West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity was again open to all primary school children in years 5 and 6 across the North West. The competition gives a chance for the gardeners of the future to create a garden for the show each year.

This year’s competition was entered by 276 children across Lancashire, Cheshire, Manchester and Merseyside. The 2 winning designs, had been chosen by a panel of judges and once constructed by a professional garden company, the 2 winners, their families and their teachers were invited to the show to meet Professor David Bellamy OBE. They also got presented with £500 to enhance their school grounds and a £50 gift voucher for themselves, as you can see in these photographs, sent to us with thanks of the Southport Flower Show.

The head teacher, from Ashbridge Independent School, Hilary Sharples, said:- "This is the first time our school has entered the competition and we're extremely proud that one of our students has won; it is fantastic to see the garden come to life at the show. This is a great competition giving children the opportunity to link their design skills with a love of wildlife and horticulture; encouraging creativity while also helping the planet.”

Ashbridge Independent School plan to use the £500 to develop an area within their grounds which will encourage bees and butterflies to visit the school and nursery, and also to extend the wildflower meadow for the youngest children in the baby unit.

Peter Hosker, who is the Provincial Grand Master of West Lancashire, and President of the West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity said:- ”We are delighted to have once again had the opportunity of sponsoring this very prestigious competition. As Freemasons we support many community projects and to get children involved in gardening is very worthwhile.”

To find out about the 2013 show, keep an eye on southportflowershow.co.uk!

To see our part 1 of our photograpic coverage of the Southport Flower Show, click  on here now!