The Sydney Hills Garden Competition & Community Garden: Celebrating local green spaces and horticultural excellence.
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by
Hillsrotary
A showcase of the Hills District Finest Gardens
ABOUT THIS INITIATIVE
The Sydney Hills Garden Competition is steeped in history and intricately linked to the Hills Shire. George (Eric) Mobbs, was a Hills Shire Councillor (1955 – 1977) and is credited for the origins of this annual event and the Shire’s reputation as “the Garden Shire”. He moved that Council hold a competition on the last Saturday of November 1959, for the best-kept footpaths within the Shire and was one of three Councillors on the sub-committee. On 22 October 1960 Council combined the footpath and garden competition with a one-day festival at Castle Hill Showground. In 1969 Council combined the footpath and garden competition with the Orange Blossom Festival and it ran in this format, from 12-21 September 1969.
Every year Hills residents, businesses and institutions are encouraged to register their gardens for spring judging during the Orange Blossom Festival.
The Garden Competition is run each year by The Rotary Club of the Hills-Kellyville and has a variety of categories for gardeners from small town houses to residential gardens, to gardens of industrial, commercial and retirement complexes. The competition covers a diverse range of categories for all types of gardeners – even young gardeners in the schools category. Specialty gardens such as cottage, communal and environmentally friendly gardens are also included. The garden competition is open to gardens located in the Hills Shire and adjoining parts of the suburbs of North Rocks, Carlingford, Northmead, Winston Hills, Baulkham Hills, West Pennant Hills, Cherrybrook, Glenhaven, Dural, Arcadia, Galston and Glenorie.
Gardens are judged by professional and experienced horticulturists and landscapers. In the past judges have included local gardening gurus Judy Horton, Ross Miller, the late Bruce Pike as well as Horticulturalist Lucia Fowler. “There are so many beautiful gardens since the weather challenges of the last few years. We’re so lucky to have so many garden proud residents who are able to enjoy their surrounds in the Hills district. Spring is a special time to celebrate the fine gardens of the garden shire” said a spokesman for The Rotary Club of the Hills-Kellyville.
Judging is held around the 3rd week of September culminating in an Awards Night late September where award winning gardens and their gardeners are honored and receive prizes.
The Rotary Club of the Hills-Kellyville has had a long association with gardeners in The Hills, having run the Garden Competition since early 2000’s and the Hills Open Gardens. The Club proudly opened a Community Garden in March 2021 to mark the 100th year of Rotary in Australia. The Rotary Club of the Hills-Kellyville established and built this garden for the community in conjunction with the Hills Shire Council. Other works of the Club include local community events and the raising of funds for numerous programs far and wide, from the Hills area to outback Australia to overseas communities with specific needs. To be part of an inspired group that is making a difference, contact the club though our website or Facebook page.
THE MOST RECENT AWARDS
An awards night was held on Friday 27th September 2024 at The Harvey Lowe Pavilion. An Orange Blossom event, which was judged between 16th and 20th September. Judges, Lucia Fowler and Ross Bolwell complimented entrants on some excellent gardens. Lucia was generous with her gardening tips and explained some of the characteristics that the formal judging process was based on.
President John van den Burg thanked event coordinator Keith Stapley for the immense effort he put into this event and thanked the Hills Shire Council for their sponsorship of this important community event. He also thanked our community leaders who were present to support the competition and all the gardeners who make the “Garden Shire” a beautiful environment.
Special guests included Hon. Mark Hodges MP (Member for Castle Hill), Hills Shire Mayor Dr Pater Gangemi, Mayor Elect, Dr Michelle Byrne; recently re-elected Councillors Mitchell Blue and Frank De Masi, and Rotary 9685 Governor Niranjan Deodhar. Some addressed the attendees and facilitated the presentation of awards.
In 2024 a special category for Environmentally Friendly Gardens was recognised with a special emphasis on bee friendly gardening methods. Three Bee Hotels that Castle Hill Rotary donated as part of their prize package were awarded to the 3 Primary Schools which have entered the competition, Baulkham Hills North Public School; Kellyville Public School and Our Lady of The Rosary, Kellyville.
2024 RESULTS
Eric Mobbs Award for Excellence in Gardening Ian & Diana Gilmour
Champion of Champions Paul & Margaret Gaudry
| Category | First | Second | Third | Highly Commended | Commended | Encouragement |
| 1A ( 4 ) Small Residential Garden Owner Maintained | Brian Ahearn | Sean Leise | Neil Campton | Danuta Szczypior Maria Young | Yumin Zhang Mary Little Wayne Jelly | |
| 1B ( 1 ) Large Residential Garden Owner Maintained | Greta & Graham Wickham | Timothy Ward | ||||
| 1C ( 2 ) Residential Garden Professionally Maintained | Paul & Margaret Gaudry | |||||
| 1D ( 8 ) Residential Front or Back Garden Owner Maintained | Neil Campton | Danuta Szczypior | Leno Grima | Peter Knight Biaggio Cappizzi Dain & Michelle Saxon | Ian & Sheridan Ferguson Yumin Zhang Siva Jegathesan | |
| 1E Small Lot Garden | Anita Karki | |||||
| 2 ( 3 ) New Garden – Owner Maintained | Anita Karki | Hadie Olich | Dain & Michelle Saxon | Jan Callagher | Endeavour Foundation | |
| 3 ( 3 ) Townhouse, Villa or Courtyard Garden Owner Maintained | Ron Perrau | Kay & Bob Smith | Tony & Robin Davidson | |||
| 4A ( 7 ) Senior Citizen’s Entire Garden | Ian & Diana Gilmour | Bob & Dot Butler | Greta & Graham Wickham | Maria Young | Wayne Jelly Brian Graf Leno Grima Palma Thompson | |
| 4B ( 3 ) Senior Citizen’s Front or Back Garden | Ian & Diana Gilmour | Biaggio Cappizzi | Siva Jegathesan | |||
| 4C ( 3 ) Senior Citizen’s Townhouse or Courtyard Garden | Ron Perrau | Kay & Bob Smith | Dot Farlow | |||
| 4D ( 16 ) Senior Citizen’s Garden in a Retirement complex | Tony & Robin Davidson | Jan Callagher | Ann & Bob Flegg | Jan Giezekamp Patricia Smith Joan Ellem Rosemary Hall | Angela McBride Anna Thomas Marion Smith Robyn Sismey Betty Murray Clare Ellis Terry Oliver | Marcia Goodwin Dot Farlow |
| 5 ( 5 ) Strata or Community Title Property Professionally Maintained | Central Park, Bella Vista | The Pointe, Bella Vista | The Lakes, Bella Vista | Oakmont Apartments Essentia | ||
| 6 ( 1 ) Good Neighbour Gardens | Bob & Dot Butler Ray & Lisa Marshall Bryce Florence | |||||
| 7 A ( 5 ) Specialty Gardens and features | Living Choice Resident’s Bush Garden | Living Choice Resident’s Vegetable Garden | The Hills Men’s Shed | |||
| 7 B Communal or Community Garden | Community Environment Centre, Annangrove | Aminya Village | Living Choice Resident’s Bush Garden | Living Choice Resident’s Vegetable Garden | The Hills Men’s Shed Brian Graf The Hills Club Endeavour Foundation | Wesley Uniting Church |
| 7 C Environmentally Friendly Garden | Community Environment Centre, Annangrove | Mary Little | Palma Thompson | |||
| 8 ( 3 ) Industrial, Commercial or Institution Garden | Living Choice Glenhaven | Norwest Association | Mulpha Norwest Office | Aminya Village Anglicare Castle Hill Arcare Glenhaven | The Hills Club | |
| 9A Primary School Gardens Student Maintained | Our Lady of The Rosary, Kellyville | Kellyville Public School | ||||
| 9C School Gardens Maintained by Staff | Kellyville Public School | Our Lady of The Rosary, Kellyville | Baulkham Hills North Public School |