Petal Power
Green-fingered residents across our homes have been busy preparing entries for this year’s Avery in Bloom competition, and there have been some fantastic efforts. This year, the categories were: A Royal Welcome, Novelty Planter, and Miniature Garden.
For residents at Grove Park Care Home in Leeds, the Avery in Bloom competition is at the heart of their community. They enjoyed working together through the initial brainstorming processes, sourcing and preparing materials, before planting their creative sculptures for the Novelty Planter category and watching them flourish. Residents were delighted to create the winning Miniature Garden entry, taking their inspiration from a series of holiday-themed activities designed by Grove Park’s Well-being and Activity Co-ordinators. The miniature garden brought to life shared memories of cherished seaside adventures with loved ones, as residents reminisced about their previous travels.
Over at Southbourne Beach Care Home in Southbourne, located just a few minutes’ walk from the seafront, residents came together to fashion their own Novelty Planter in the shape of a boat. They were inspired by the work of a local florist who entered the Chelsea Flower Show, upcycling a range of items and incorporating plants from their garden to create a vibrant, bee-friendly haven. The boat was decorated with hand-painted starfish and shells and completed with a mini deck chair and umbrella. Jane, Well-being Co-ordinator at Southbourne Beach, stated, “We were thrilled to find out we had won the Novelty Planter category. Residents said it just shows what can be achieved with teamwork and positivity. We all had much fun preparing our entry.”
Residents at Aire View Care Home in Leeds also turned their hand to upcycling, using a small fridge, three crowns and two corgi-shaped planters for their royal-themed Novelty Planter entry. During a visit on the minibus to the nearby Tong Garden Centre, residents selected red, white, and blue flowers before soaking up the sunshine in the garden, working together happily to bring their ideas to life.
Zahid Khan, Head of Well-being and Activity, said, “Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s competition. The entries we received were amazing, and your passion and enthusiasm for gardening have made this event truly special.”
A Royal Welcome
1st – Hawthorns Aldridge
2nd – Astbury Manor
3rd – Elvy Court
Novelty Planter
1st – Southbourne Beach
2nd – Grove Park
3rd – Aire View
Miniature Garden
1st – Grove Park
2nd – Hampstead Court
3rd – Seagrave House
