It was so good to see the enthusiasm for recycling, repurposing and upcycling amongst all of you home gardeners in Open Gardens Victoria’s Recycling in the Garden competition. I know that a lot of us have been incorporating this practice in our everyday gardening for many years and it is certainly not a new trend. But what I saw in the over 40 entries highlighted the diversity and depth of projects that you all undertake with some entries being quite practical projects and others being very creative artistic projects. This certainly made my judging process more challenging than I thought it might be.

I’d like to say thank you to each of you who submitted entries and shared your recycling passion in your home gardens. I've really enjoyed seeing the entries. It was evident that many of you really enjoy the process of recycling and repurposing in your gardens and I can tell that for many of you it brings about opportunities for you to embrace your creative and thrifty thinking in your gardening pursuits.  There were entries that created Tardis phone booths as chook houses and garden sheds and entries that created planters from vintage eskies, old barbecues, boots, timber drawers and also old hand basins into mosaicked planters. There were also entries that created artistic and fun pieces from old tins, utensils and old kitchen items. It truly was a wonderful diverse array of entries and projects.

1st prize - Sharyn Walters 

Sharyn’s entry provided an array of built projects that involved the recycling of a variety of salvaged materials to create both practical and creative items for the garden.

The potting shed, plant trolley and portable cold frame all look fantastic. The combined use of recycled timber decking, pallets and fruit tree cuttings to make small woven fences in the garden was also quite resourceful, creative and artistic in the quest to keep the dogs off the garden. An inspiring array of projects.

2nd prize - Sam Russell

Sam’s entry looked divine. A small glasshouse project that involved a variety of recycled timbers, doors, windows, fittings and furniture to create a relaxing and enticing space in the garden for tinkering with plants and perhaps having a cuppa but also had a spot with an upcycled old meat safe to work from home while immersed in a plant filled cosy haven. A delightful and inspiring example of recycling materials in the garden.

I’d also like to make special mention of the entries submitted by: Leo Klein, Rosemary McCarthy, Annie Price, Phil Davis, Natalie Thorne.  

I encourage you all to continue in your recycling endeavours and to share it with people, because it helps to inspire and encourage and inspire others to embrace it in their gardens.

Steven Wells