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Harare Gardens in the city centre is a magnet for city residents, thanks to its beautiful flowers and lush green lawns

Tawny Stidolph Lifestyle Correspondent
The Horticultural Panel of the National Association of Garden Clubs are holding a garden competition to find the best gardens in Harare. Entries are open now. The competition is free and open to everyone. You do not have to be a member of a garden club to enter. 

The NAGC is the umbrella association of most of the garden clubs in Zimbabwe. Our aim is to promote gardening in Zimbabwe. We hold flower shows and horticultural shows in most of the main centres at least once a year, more often if possible.

This year there are four flower shows planned in Harare and at least two horticultural shows. If you love gardening keep on the lookout for details!

At a garden club meeting members usually visit a different garden every month, and have a speaker talking on a topic of interest. By visiting other gardens and talking to experienced gardeners, and learning from our speakers, you will find your gardening knowledge growing as well.

So do look for a Garden Club in your area, contact them and plan to go to some meetings. We do charge a nominal membership/visitors fee and members contribute to teas at the meetings, so that the host is not out of pocket.

Because everyone cannot go to meetings, we are planning a huge garden competition this year. Garden competitions are held annually in most countries.

They are an opportunity for gardeners with stunning gardens to show their fellow gardeners what they have achieved and to share their vision.

It also provides the general public with an opportunity to view private gardens that are otherwise never seen! Open garden days are very popular, and are a lovely day out for both adults and families.

Have a good look at your garden and see if you could enter this exciting competition! Beside the knowledge that your garden could be one of the best in Harare, there are also some exciting prizes for the winners and runners up! If you have a friend with a beautiful garden please encourage them to enter as well. Remember, it’s free!

These are the categories of gardens in the competition;

Small gardens: under half an acre

Medium gardens: half an acre to one acre

Large gardens: over an acre

Waterwise gardens: any size.

‘‘Pot shot’’; take one photograph of your garden that shows a stunning aspect or plant.

You also have to write a short account on your garden (200 words or less ) and send the entries in to the address below. Please visit the website listed below or email us for full entry details and terms and conditions before entering. Entries close on the 30th March 2015.

Judging will be done by qualified judges from the NAGC, based initially on the photos and story and then the judges will carry out site visits of finalists’ gardens to determine the winning garden in each class.

Winners will be featured in the Zimbabwe Gardener Magazine, the Press and on social media.

The winning gardens will feature in Open Gardens Weekend on May 16 and 17, and May 23 and 24, in the mornings. Put these dates in your diary now so that you don’t miss out! Watch the Press for details nearer the date.

Tawny Stidolph is the convenor of the Garden Competition 2015. For more details please get in touch on [email protected] or visit www.zimbabwegardener.com