2020 Winners

2020 Spring Garden Comp logo

Watch the announcement of this year's Spring Garden Competition winners. From edible gardens to native and habitat-friendly gardens, you'll see a showcase of the amazing gardens that have been loved and cared for by the winners. You will also hear from gardening experts and gain helpful tips for your garden.

Best Large Garden

Large private residential gardens - may be the whole garden or just a section.

  • 1st place: Anne Johnson - A garden with great diversity, displaying plants in excellent vigour. There is a pleasing range of colours and textures. Anne has created a place that is both stimulating and soothing.
  • 2nd place: Angela Thomas
  • 3rd place: Don Pickens
  • Highly Commended: Douglas Grant 

Best Small/Courtyard Garden

Small private residential gardens – Small front yard, back yard or courtyard. Use of pots, planter boxes, ornaments or wall gardens are encouraged.

  • 1st place: Angelina Chee - A lovely garden divided into suitable areas of interest. There is an interesting diversity of plants and all areas are beautifully maintained. A wonderful balance of edible, native and ornamental plants are displayed using many recycled materials.
  • 2nd place: Kimberlee Dreyer
  • 3rd place: Betty Reynolds
  • Highly Commended: Jemma Rollo 

Best Edible Garden

Vegetable gardens, fruit gardens, permaculture gardens etc.

  • 1st place: Alexander Djerdjev - Alexander has created a real gem of a garden. The edibles are interesting, unusual, varied and plentiful. His interest in health has meant that the plants are meticulously researched, propagated and maintained.
  • 2nd place: Tony Butteriss
  • 3rd place: Macquarie University Community Garden
  • Highly Commended: Philip Shaw

Best Native & Habitat-friendly Garden

Gardens which feature Australian native plants and include habitat elements to encourage native fauna such as birds, lizards, possums and insects.

  • 1st place: The Habitat - A lovely generous community garden with a great diversity of plants and really good maintenance. All plants are appropriate to the site and other areas in which they are to be planted. It provides great habitat for native wildlife.
  • 2nd place: Pamela Reeves
  • 3rd place: Paul Sanders

Best School Garden

Gardens within local primary or high schools where students and teachers or the community have worked together.

  • 1st place: Our Lady Queen of Peace - A very well-designed edible garden, with a good cross section of vegetables and citrus. There is active pupil engagement with this project from all years.
  • 2nd place: Goodstart West Ryde
  • 3rd place: Ryde Secondary College

Best Non-Residential Garden

Garden projects including local community/community organisations or local businesses/commercial organisations.

  • 1st place: Matthew Thompson, Squireville Complex - This garden comes with a lot of constraints due to the new developments around it. Despite these constraints, Matthew and his team are doing a very good job. The two very old Ficus trees in particular, are a testament to the ongoing care and attention they receive.
  • 2nd place: Baptist Care Willandra Village
  • 3rd place: Macquarie University Community Garden

Best Bushcare Site

For an outstanding contribution made by volunteers at a recognised Bushcare site.

  • 1st place: Sugarloaf Point Bushcare Group - The small volunteer group achieved much is a very large site. There is a high level of awareness of the specific environments within this reserve, and the enthusiasm is impressive.
  • 2nd place: Meadowbank Bushcare Group