Gardening fever has gripped the town of Newport, Shropshire once again as the Annual Allotment Competition celebrated its most vibrant season yet, welcoming 25 enthusiastic entrants. From flourishing fruit beds to riotous rows of vegetables, the competition showcased a true masterclass in horticultural skill, creativity, and dedication.
To ensure fairness, this year’s contest was divided into Best Plot and Best New Plot categories:
- Best Plot – 14 established allotments
- Best New Plot – 11 newcomers
The judging panel - Deputy Mayor Cllr Bill Harper, Marvin Challinor (Head Gardener at Hodnet Hall Gardens), and Town Clerk Jo Reay - began their evaluations at the Boughey Road site before moving on to the larger MVR allotments. Their criteria covered overall appearance, productivity, creativity and design, innovation, resourcefulness, variety of crops, commitment, and enthusiasm.
Best Plot
-
🥇 1st Place, Plot MVR 34: Jill Hughes
-
🥈 2nd Place, Plot MVR 54: Clive Whitfield
Best New Plot
-
🥇 1st Place, Plot MVR 3A: Hasitha Rathnayake
- 🥈 2nd Place, Plot MVR 85: Sharon Sewell
Clive Whitfield’s Dandys-Fueled Success
Clive Whitfield’s runner-up finish in the Best Plot category was a testament to both his hard work and his smart sourcing strategy. Clive’s success was powered by Dandys.com products - from premium topsoil and compost blends for all his seedlings and bulbs, to hardwood path chips to keep his allotment tidy all year round. The result was a jaw-dropping display of healthy, vigorous crops that flourished all season long.
His plot demonstrated how investing in quality inputs can elevate an allotment from merely productive to truly spectacular.
Thank you for your loyal custom Clive - we look forward to supporting you this coming year!
Heartfelt congratulations go to all participants - each plot reflected the passion and creativity that define this vibrant gardening community. The Prize Giving Event is scheduled for 19th July, and everyone is invited to join the celebration, complete with trophies, cake, and shared inspiration for next year’s competition theme.
Here’s to another year of green thumbs and bountiful harvests!