Competition





Creative Containers & Pots

Gardening with pots and containers has to be some of the best fun you can have in the garden – and you don’t even need a back yard! Whether you have a balcony, courtyard, wall or just a table or spot at the front door – the possibilities are endless for having a cheerful display to bring life to your outdoor space.

For this month’s competition, OGV is looking for the best examples of how Victorian gardeners have been using pots and containers to create inspiring combinations of flowers, foliage texture and colour to brighten up their lives in lockdown.

We’re delighted to announce that Chloe Thomson from The Gardenettes will be judging the competition and the winner will receive a $100 gift voucher to a local garden centre/stockist of Northcote Pottery, generously donated by Northcote Pottery. Chloe is a horticulturalist, garden presenter and self confessed plant nut who comes up with some sensational DIY potted garden ideas with her fellow Gardenette, Melissa King. You can follow Chloe on Instagram at @beantheredugthat and also get great gardening ideas @thegardenettes.

If you're new to gardening in containers and pots or just need a little guidance, Chloe's video An Australian Native Plant Combo for Pots will get you started on creating your own colourful container combos.

For the month of October, we’re asking you to send in pictures of your 'Creative Containers & Pots’ in your outdoor space. Perhaps you’ve gone crazy with colourful annuals in pots and hanging baskets or have a juicy collection of unusual succulents and cacti. Have you created a container combo with foliage and flowers that pop against a painted wall or used interesting containers for herbs and veggies? Perhaps you’ve created a miniature potted wonderland with your kids where dinosaurs roam or fairies live? Or maybe you’ve upcycled an old wheelbarrow or hard rubbish item into a sensational container display as a feature in your garden. 

Follow the conditions of entry below to enter the competition. Entries close at 5pm on Saturday 31st October 2020…so get potting, we can’t wait to see the creative containers and pots in your garden!    

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY

  • This competition is open to Victorian home gardeners only. Images of gardens designed by professional gardeners, or of commercial or public spaces, may be sent in for us to share online for inspiration. These will not be included in the judging.
  • Send high resolution photos (min. 500KB) via email to operations@opengardensvictoria.org.au. Do not send images via social media.
  • No more than 5 images per entry. 
  • All images should apply to the specific theme of the competition.
  • In your email:  
    • include the competition name in the ‘subject line’
    • describe where in Victoria your garden is
    • provide a brief description of your image including a list of all plants
    • if you're sending multiple images, provide a separate description for each image eg. 'Image 1 Description: Backyard herb garden. Salvia rosmarinus, Allium sativum'; 'Image 2 Description: ...'
  • Name your image with your family name followed by the competition name. If you're sending multiple images then add the number of each image at the end of the file name to match your descriptions eg. 'SmithCreativeContainers1' will match 'Image 1 Description'.
  • If your garden has already won a competition this year you are free to share new images of a different part of your garden according to the competition theme. While you won’t be included in the judging, you may be recognised as a runner up or given a special mention by the judge.

Images - courtesy Chloe Thomson
Main image: potted treasure chest
Cameos: 
treasure chest container in its garden setting
competition judge, Chloe Thomson of The Gardenettes
inspirational images from Nortcote Pottery

 






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