‘Thriving’ Uttoxeter Sow and Grow community garden wins RHS award
Uttoxeter’s residents are celebrating after its Sow & Grow community garden was awarded a ‘2023 It’s Your Neighbourhood Award’ by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and Heart of England in Bloom.
Sow & Grow was transformed by local resident Rachel Thompson, from a previously unused plot of land owned by regional housing provider, Trent & Dove, into a space for the whole community to benefit from.
The award follows the garden’s first entry into the scheme and achieved a ‘Level 4 - Thriving’ grading, which is the second highest grade across the three areas of assessment: community participation, environmental responsibility and gardening achievement.
The RHS assessors’ report said: “The vision to develop the patch of land has turned into an excellent opportunity to all who have become involved. It was great to see a large number of residents, both men and women, engaged in work on the site.
The report highlighted the children’s area as a ‘great success’ with its shed for dry activities, seed sowing and educational benefits, and the bog garden, which was ‘thriving with frogs’ and water-loving plants and wildlife.
Rachel Thompson, said:
I’m delighted our little garden has achieved such an amazing result in a short space of time. If anyone would like to know more about what we do, please follow us on our Sow & Grow Community Garden Facebook page.
The RHS also recognised the support and involvement from Trent & Dove in making the site available and their continuing interest in its development.
There is so much already established in what was a patch of uncared for land, it will be a joy to see it develop over the years.
Dawn Maddin, Community Engagement Manager at Trent & Dove, said:
This is such a fantastic project that has attracted so much interest and participation locally. It is the first garden project of its kind that has a dedicated children’s growing group, Little Saplings. It has also been a chosen project for one of The Prince’s Trust’s programmes and hosted Uttoxeter’s Community Fun Day this summer. We are already excited to see what next year brings!
Local residents can get involved and find out more by following the Sow & Grow Community Garden page or emailing sowandgrow@trentanddove.org