Garden competition

Each year, we team up with the Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group (DDTCG) to celebrate the creativity, passion and hard work of our community’s green‑fingered superstars in our annual garden competition.

The categories for the 2026 competition are:

• Front Garden – Open to all gardens, large and small
• Back Garden- Any size, anywhere!
• Most Improved – Have you mutual exchanged? Recently signed up? or have you been on a mission to tackle the weeds? Make sure you show us the before/after photos.
• Best Small Space – Only got a small space to work with? This is the perfect category to showcase your balcony, patio or hanging baskets.
• Best Independent Living communal garden- Do you live in an Independent Living Scheme and want to show off your hard work?
• Communal garden- Working together as a community? Show us what you’ve achieved as a team.
• Garden designed by a tenant with a disability- If you’re a passionate Gardner with a disability, show off your strengths.
• Garden designed by a young person- If you have an under 18 year old helper (children, grandchildren, foster children etc) who like to garden as a hobby, we would love to celebrate them!

This year we are asking applicants to record and submit a video of their garden (please do this in landscape mode), so we can see it when it’s looking it’s best! If you are unable to do this, we will happily visit and take the video for you.

The video will then be shared with the DDTCG at their judging meeting at our offices in Whitfield, and they will score your garden against their assessment criteria.

The closing date to enter is the 30 June 2026 at 23:59.

For more information email tenantinvolvement@dover.gov.uk or call 01304 872078.

By entering, you are agreeing to the competition’s terms and conditions. Your contact details will be shared with the competition organisers to enable them to contact you and will be used to notify you of further opportunities to get involved.

Rules

• entries must be from council tenants or leaseholders
• previous winners may enter
• residents are permitted to enter more than one category
• by entering, you agree that we may share your address and contact information with the judges for the purpose of judging
• you must enter online and complete the entry form (now closed) however if you need to do this over the phone, please contact us.

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