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Blooming Lambeth Awards 2026

Welcome to Blooming Lambeth Awards 2026 – a celebration of community gardening in Lambeth!

Gain recognition for your garden  – whether you’re a new project or have been going for years.

Everyone who enters will be celebrated at a grand event and photo exhibition at Brockwell Hall in November 2026. Special commendations will be awarded to people who go above and beyond in each category.  

In previous years, the awards have focused on awarding stunning gardens. This year, we want to celebrate, highlight and acknowledge the skills, knowledge and hard work put in by the people behind the gardens.

All entrants will receive a certificate and there will also be £50 vouchers for gardens and gardeners who receive a Special Commendation.

You must be a member of Incredible Edible Lambeth to apply. Join here (it’s free to join and only takes a few minutes)

CLOSING DATE: Sunday 18th July 2026 

Application Guidance 

Applications are welcome from:

  • Individuals and families who live in Lambeth 
  • Lambeth-based green spaces and community garden groups 
  • Lambeth-based schools and youth groups 

You can apply for one or more of these categories:

  • Food growing excellence
  • Climate-friendly gardening 
  • Community engagement 
  • Food growing by children and young people
  • Gardens in bloom (for home gardens and allotments)

For each category, you’ll select the level you’re at at the moment:

  • Emerging: for new gardens or gardeners 
  • Established: for well-established groups and gardens 
  • Leader: for people and gardens who are providing inspirational examples for others

You can apply for multiple categories. For example, you could be recognised as an ESTABLISHED garden in the ‘Food Growing Excellence’ category and/or an EMERGING garden in the ‘Climate-Friendly Gardening’  category.

When filling in the application forms:

  • Use the checklists on the application form to decide which level is right for you and/or your community group.
  • Tell us about your project in your own words and submit some photos to demonstrate your work.

A note about photo submissions:

  • Photos will be used as part of the judging process, so make sure you submit good quality images which clearly show your garden.
  • If you are submitting photos of people then please make sure you have permission to share.

Choosing the right category for your group:

  • If you’d like to apply for the Emerging category we would expect you to meet most, or all, of the criteria in the Emerging list
  • If you’d like to apply for the Established category we would expect you to meet most, or all, of the criteria in the Emerging AND Established lists
  • If you’d like to apply for the Leader category, we would expect you to meet most of the criteria in all three lists.

All groups and individuals will be recognised for your amazing work and special commendations will be awarded to groups who have gone above and beyond in each category.

If you’re not sure if you’re eligible, or have any other questions, then please get in touch: coordinator@incredibleediblelambeth.org. 

 

Categories

Please view the categories below and choose which one(s) you would like to apply.

The criteria for the different levels within each category are a guide only, you do not need to fit every single one in order to apply. 

Emerging 
  • Grow a range of seasonal crops using organic methods 
  • Demonstrate good plant care including regular watering, adequate plant spacing and adequate drainage (if growing in pots and containers)
  • Choose suitable crops for the location 
Established 
  • Grow food all year round using organic methods 
  • Grow a range of crop types including annual vegetables, perennial food crops (herbs and fruit) and companion flowering plants 
  • Demonstrate a range of crop production methods for example intercropping, companion planting and crop rotation 
  • Has a well-maintained and productive composting system in use 
  • Well labelled crops 
  • Harvest produce when it’s ready 
Leader
  • Grow non-traditional crops that are culturally relevant to local people (for example, sweet potatoes, okra, oca, yacon, callaloo or scotch bonnet peppers)
  • Demonstrate an innovative approach to food growing for example in the use of vertical space, green roofs or upcycled materials 
  • Actively using different techniques to maintain soil health for example applying mulches and no-dig gardening
Apply for this category
Emerging
  • Follow peat-free gardening practices
  • No chemicals (ie. no pesticides, fungicides, insecticides or herbicides)
  • Use of recycled and upcycled materials 
  • Allow garden waste to breakdown on site or have composting system in place 
Established 
  • Variety of pollinator-friendly plants – including wild flowers and plants that flower at different times throughout the year
  • Range of features for wildlife for example, log piles, bug hotels, bird boxes, ponds
  • Has a well-maintained and productive composting system in use 
  • Use of perennial vegetable crops and/or drought-tolerant plants
  • Have planted trees and/or shrubs 
Leader 
  • Reducing environmental impact eg. minimising use of plastic, re-using plastic pots, mending broken tools and buying second-hand equipment or garden furniture 
  • Maintaining and improving soil health eg. applying mulches, no-dig gardening, homemade fertilisers and soil amendments 
  • Harvesting rainwater and making use of water butts, reducing reliance on tap water 
  • Has engaging signage with educational information about the importance of biodiversity or climate-friendly gardening practices 
  • Different kinds of composting eg. hot composting, making leafmold
Apply for this category
Emerging 
  • Regular volunteer sessions 
  • Signage to communicate when the garden is open and how to get involved 
  • Has suitable pathways that are accessible and inclusive for different kinds of people including those with accessibility needs 
Established
  • Share garden harvests with members as a way to support the local community and reward volunteer efforts 
  • Hold community events at different times of the year to widen access and invite new visitors to the garden
  • Offer training to volunteers eg. seed sowing, composting and using tools safely 
Leader 
  • Has access to toilet facilities that are accessible and inclusive 
  • Has indoor or covered outdoor spaces that can be used in a variety of ways according to the community’s needs
  • Hold community meals to bring people together and share healthy, nutritious food 
  • Hold consultations with members and the wider community to help make decisions about the garden and its uses
Apply for this category
Emerging
  • Children grow a range of seasonal crops using organic methods 
  • Children are involved in a range of gardening activities (eg. seed sowing, planting, watering and harvesting)
Established 
  • Children grow a range of crop types including annual vegetables and perennial food crops (herbs and fruit), and companion flowering plants
  • Children help to make decisions about what to grow and how to develop the garden 
  • Children harvest produce and try different vegetables
  • Children help to maintain composting system and learn about soil fertility
Leader 
  • In school setting, gardening activities are linked to the curriculum eg. plant parts, flowers, pollination, crops grown in other countries, life cycles, food webs and looking after our environment
  • In non-school settings, gardening activities are linked to different skills such as maths, art, poetry
  • Children grow unusual crops with interesting flavours (eg. nasturtium, chocolate mint, sorrel)
  • Children help to prepare meals with food harvested from the garden 
  • Children able to share garden with wider community including parents and carers
Apply for this category
Emerging
  • Colourful planting
  • Flowers in bloom at different times of the year 
  • Use organic methods (no pesticides or weed killers)
Established 
  • Pollinator-friendly planting
  • Making the most of a small space eg. by use of pots, containers and window boxes 
  • Growing plants from seeds, cuttings or splitting plants whenever possible
Leader 
  • Growing the right plant for the right place, reducing reliance on watering 
  • Making use of vertical growing space (eg. use of trellis, tee-pees, garden structures)
  • Invites some community involvement in garden (eg. open days or visible to passers-by)
  • Growing edible plants (herbs and fruit) alongside flowers
Apply for this category

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