2026 Competition Roundup & Results

Schools

We were delighted to award Derwentwater Primary the Cultivating Ealing School Garden of the Year 2026 in recognition of an outstanding Global Garden brought to life by pupils across every year group and shared with families and the wider community. With an outdoor classroom, vertical growing wall, ponds and a greenhouse this was an amazing school garden. The garden is a real credit to the school, to the forest school leader Ryan, and to the Head teacher Venessa Nicholas.

Community Green Spaces

Top prize went to Meadow House Hospice in the grounds of Ealing hospital tended to by a dedicated group of volunteers led by Amanda Sutch. This was a calm reflective garden enjoyed by patients, visitors and staff. The paths are wide enough to take hospital beds and there are plenty of seats. With a gentle fountain, new meadow area, woodland path and many scented plants this was a haven of tranquillity.

Award for Outstanding Transformation

The award for outstanding transformation went to Ealing  & Hanwell Allotment Association Searchlight Trading Hut in Hanwell. 

There used to be a Searchlight on the site in the first world war and for many years (since 1917) the site housed an allotment trading hut. 

More recently the area had deteriorated into a junkyard for all manner of old, broken and disused garden items and equipment. Volunteers cleared the site, raised funds, built raised beds, and developed a lovely seating area for people to meet. There will soon be a wildlife pond and the site is now a thriving "mini garden centre" serving the allotments and local residents of Ealing and is a bustling, friendly meeting place surrounded by lovely plants and shrubs. Stuart Alexander & Vinka Reeves have led a group of very dedicated volunteers to make this transformation possible.

Front Gardens

Julia Atique, Acton, has designed a superb, lush front garden bursting with ideas. The judges were very impressed by this well-planned garden arranged around two sides of a ground floor flat. They praised the diverse planting and abundance of vegetables. There is a central vertical wall covered with edible plants and a beautiful fig tree in the corner. There are plenty of plants to encourage bees and butterflies with some pots hanging from the railings. This was a truly unique front garden and a worthy prize winner!

Allotment Plots

Large Plots: 1st Prize went to Lana Rake-Lasmane, Ascott Allotments for a wonderfully biodiverse plot. One judge described it as the perfect plot. Another said it was like an explosion – meaning it was vibrant and packed with colour and plants.

Small Plots: 1st Prize went to John Furzer, Northfields Allotments and the judges said it was a productive, thoughtful, innovative and beautiful and unlike any allotment plot seen before.

Large Allotment Sites

1st Prize was awarded to Framfield Allotments for the third year running. 

It was described as an outstanding site. Most impressively it’s a warm and thriving community. It’s a well maintained site where biodiversity is made a priority, and it’s active and generous in the way it involves and supports other community groups.

Small Allotment Sites

1st Prize went to High Lane Allotments. 

It was described as a pleasant and friendly site where people work together and where cultivation standards are high. A lot of thought – and hard work – has gone into creating communal spaces where tenants can get together and appreciate their proximity to wildlife.

Best Wildlife plot 

A special award was presented to Ascott Wildlife plot. It was impressive in 2025 but now that it’s matured is even more impressive. It really is a masterclass in biodiversity and we hope the award will encourage lots of people to go and see it at Ascott allotments and feel inspired.