2019 Spring Garden Competition - Children's Seed Growing Competition

About the Spring Garden Competition

The City of Ryde has a long and proud history of conducting the Spring Garden Competition. This established community event has been held annually for more than twenty years. The City of Ryde is one of the few local councils still organising and providing a garden competition for its local residents and local community. The Spring Garden Competition is a popular community event that has a unique 'hands on' quality. This is an inclusive event and we strongly encourage entries from young aspiring green thumbs (children).

Entry Categories:

Children's Seed Growing Competition: Children can enter in the following age brackets: 3 - 7 years and 8 - 12 years. The seeds to be grown are Sunflower seeds. Free seed kits (including seed, pot, growing instructions and entry tag) will be available for collection from Eden Garden after entry.

Children's Seed Growing Category and Judging Criteria:

The aim is to see who can grow the nasturtium plant from seed. The age brackets for entry will be:

• 3 - 7 years of age
• 8 - 12 years of age

Once you have entered the competition online, you can collect your free seed growing kit (Sunflower seeds, 1 x pot, growing instructions and 2 entry tag - limit of one kit per child) from Eden Gardens between 1 July - 31 July 2019. Eden Gardens is located at 307 Lane Cove Rd, Macquarie Park. We encourage entries in the Children's Seed Growing Competition to be made before 31 July to allow for maximum seed growing time. The seed planting dates for the competition is from Sunday 14 July 2019. Late entry, collection of seeds and late planting will be permitted up until 31 August, however this will reduce the seed and plant growing time.

Tips:

• Read and follow the seed growing instructions provided with your seed kit.
• Plant your seeds from Sunday 14 July 2019.
• Plant multiple seed and grow multiple plants or try planting seeds over a number of weeks in different pots. For judging we ask that you choose your best one or two plants to enter.
• See Eden Gardens staff is you wish to obtain spare recycled pots to grow extra plants.
• Don't forget to decorate your pot. Prize available for the best decorated pot.
• Don't forget to bring your plant to Eden Gardens on 11 October (9am - 5pm) or 12 October (before 9.30am) for judging. Winners will be announced at 11am on 12 October.

Notes:

• Online event entry is required prior to collection of your seed growing kit.
• Please present a print out of your entry confirmation to the cashier at the Eden Gardens Centre to collect your free seed growing kit (limit of one seed growing kit per child).
• All entries in the Children's Seed Growing Competition must use the supplied seeds and follow the supplied growing instructions as collected from Eden Gardens.
• No hydroponic, artificial growth hormones, hot houses or artificial lights to be used.
• If a child enters multiple plants they will only be considered for a single place/prize (i.e they cannot win multiple places/prizes in their age bracket).

All judging of Children's Seed Growing Competition entries will take place on 12 October 2019. Entries will be judged by a panel of horticulturalists and garden judges. Judging criteria for the nasturtium plants will be:

• Overall condition of the plant/s
• Freedom from pests and disease
• Height of plant
• Number of flowers
• Diameter of flowers
• Best decorated pot also receives an award.
  

Key Dates for Children's Seed Growing Competition:

• 1 July 2019: Entries open for all categories of the 2019 Spring Garden Competiton.
• 31 July 2019: All entries in the Children's Seed Growing Competition should be made by this date to allow for maximum seed growing time (however, late entries will be accepted).
• 1 July - 31 July 2019: Once you have entered, collect your seed growing kit from Eden Gardens (307 Lane Cove Rd, Macquarie Park). Late collection after this date will be permitted, however this will reduce the seed growing time.
• From 14 July 2019: Plant your seeds.
• 11 October 2019 (9am - 5pm): Entries/plants in the Children's Seed Growing Competition to be delivered to Eden Gardens (307 Lane Cove Rd, Macquarie Park) for judging.
• 12 October 2019 (before 9.30am): Entries/plants in the Children's Seed Growing Competition to be delivered to Eden Gardens (307 Lane Cove Rd, Macquarie Park) for judging. Entries will be judged between 9.30am - 10.30am.
• 12 October 2019 (11am): Winners of the 2019 Spring Garden Competition Seed Growing category will be announced.

Further information: www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/gardencomp or City of Ryde Customer Service 9952 8222.

The 2019 Spring Garden Competition is proudly brought to you by the City of Ryde.

We acknowledge and thank our event sponsors for their support:

• Gold Sponsor: Eden Gardens