West Horsley in Bloom is an annual gardening competition which is open to all residents, businesses, and community groups.

The aim of the competition is to encourage our community to showcase their gardens and outdoor environment, with an emphasis on imaginative use of flowers, shrubs, trees and landscaping, as well as sustainability and encouraging wildlife. A special children’s competition (Potatoes in the Pot) is included which aims to help them learn how things grow and where food comes from. West Horsley in Bloom also recognises the achievements and hard work that people in the community carry out to create beautiful and uplifting spaces in the village. 

How to Enter

There are no paper forms this year but there are three easy ways to enter. Please choose one of the following: 

 

1. Online Entry Form

We'd like to encourage as many entrants as possible to use our online entry form. 

Click here for West Horsley in Bloom Entry Form

 

2. By Email

To enter by email please send the following information to Heather Mason at [email protected]:

  • name
  • address
  • telephone number and
  • a list of the categories you wish to enter
 

3. By Phone

If you have any queries, or if you would prefer to submit your entry over the phone, please give Heather a call on 07881 883197.

Key Dates

 

Closing date for entries - Sunday 4th June 

Judging mornings - Monday 12th & Tuesday 13th June

 Potato in a Pot Judging - Friday 23rd June

Presentation Evening - Friday 30th June

 

Award Categories

 

Best FRONT Garden

Best BACK Garden

Best VEGETABLE Patch

Best FIRST TIME Entry

Best NON-RESIDENTIAL Entry

Best ALLOTMENT in Grace & Flavour

SUSTAINABILITY Champion

Best CONTAINER

  

West Horsley in Bloom 2022

 2022 WINNERS


Best BACK Garden - Helen David

Best VEGETABLE Plot - Tony & Valerie Thompson

Best NON-RESIDENTIAL Display - West Horsley Place

Best ALLOTMENT at Grace & Flavour - Helena Stuart Matthews

Best celebratory JUBILEE Container - Pip and Philip Holmes

BIODIVERSITY Champion - Gerry Robbins

Best FIRST TIME Entry - Judy Young

Iliff Community Award - St Mary's Churchyard Gang

Judges' Prize - Trevor Wykes

The Roxburghe Cup - West Horsley Place

 

In addition, 20 Gold, 22 Silver Gilt, 19 Silver and 7 Bronze certificates were awarded.

 

 

Ann Masset receiving the Iliff Community Cup on behalf of the St Mary's Churchyard Gang.

 

 

 

This year's winners of the Chapman Trophy for Best Vegetable Garden were Tony and Valerie Thompson, presented by Celia Chapman. 

 

Judy Young, winner of the Best First Time Entry Award, with Mayor of Guildford Cllr Dennis Booth.

 

The Mayor presenting Gerry Robbins with the new Biodiversity Champion Trophy. This was given to the competition by Martin and  Janet O’Hara.

 

 

Mayor of Guildford Cllr Denis Booth presents Matt Link and Adrian Lajtha with the Roxburghe Trophy as WHIB 2022 overall winners.

 

 

 

Pip and Philip Holmes receiving their prize for the Best Jubilee Container. 

 This year's Potato in a Pot trophy was awarded to Ellis Hypher-Thomas.

 

 

The Lady Mayoress Mary Booth presented Tom Suffolk, the 2021 Overall Winner, with a replica cup. 

A Report by Cllr Mel Beynon

What a lot of excitement there had been around the village and indeed around the country! It was Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee! We were determined to honour that by making our event something special too.

On arrival, our guests were offered a glass of Prosecco to enjoy while we awaited the arrival of our Mayor of Guildford Cllr Denis Booth and his delightful wife Mary. They were like old friends, given that in the previous year, the Mayor was unavailable and his deputy, the same Cllr Booth came along to deputise for him. The added bonus was that both The Mayor and his wife are very keen and knowledgeable gardeners.

We also welcomed a new judge to our panel. Clare Bevan is well known in the area as the owner and creator of a hugely impressive wild garden in Ockham. Biodiversity and sustainability are her particular gardening forte. She kindly took the stage and gave a very interesting and clear explanation of the way to maximise biodiversity in our gardens. This was particularly relevant since, thanks to the very generous support of Janet and Martin O’Hara, we had a new category, that of Biodiversity Champion, complete with a new trophy.

The silverware gleamed on the “high table”, the Mayor had arrived, the audience had been mellowed by the glass of bubbly and off we went.

The evening began with Glenesk School Staff receiving their award before having to shoot off to attend a staff event. We moved to the Children’s section. There was an almost record number “Potato in a Pot” entries. The winner was Ellis Hypher-Thomas, second place went to Quinton Stewart, third came Devon Hypher-Thomas and finally in fourth place William Stewart. We clearly have two mini dynasties of potato growers in the village. Sincere thanks to Celia Chapman and Janet Claydon for their commitment and enthusiasm to the youngsters.

This year, at the suggestion of Matt Link the head gardener at West Horsley Place, the “Potato in a Pot” took place in the field immediately in front of the barn. After all, Matt reasoned, the potato was brought back to England by Sir Walter Raleigh whose widow had lived with his sons at West Horsley Place. Logic was served.

The senior categories in West Horsley in Bloom were just as well supported. The first part of the prize giving was therefore, as usual a marathon. Each entry was given a sentence or two of appreciative comment, but despite all efforts the first half ran for fifty minutes. Time then for a glass of wine, some tasty canapés and lots of chatting and laughter. In the background a loop of photos of the various entries.

Soon it was back to the most pleasurable part of evening, that of giving out the prizes for the category winners. The trophy for the overall winner delighted everyone one as it was won by West Horsley Place. The trophy was taken back for a year at least from whence it had originated.

Since our competition, her Majesty has sadly passed away. The Coronation of her son King Charles III will no doubt engender some excitement too and we will try to reflect that in next year’s competition.

For information on how to get involved with West Horsley in Bloom please contact Cllr Mel Beynon at [email protected]. Alternatively Join our Mailing List - West Horsley Parish Council to receive regular news and events updates.

 

West Horsley in Bloom 2021


Matt Link from West Horsley Place receives an award from the Deputy Mayor of Guildford 


Adam Aaronson presents a bespoke glass trophy to Chrissy Dunkerley 


Deputy Mayor of Guildford presents an award to Tom Suffolk 


Our 2019 Winner Rosemary Tribe 

A Report from Cllr Beynon:  What a success it was this year after being cancelled in 2020! The weeks before judging the weather had been horrendous. We had everything, from too much heat to a lot more rain that we would have imagined. It took us ten hours in all to complete the judging. The gardens were stunning. Somehow the roses had been persuaded to hold up their heads, the lawns were immaculate, and in every garden, we had the great joy and privilege of sharing stories of how people’s gardens had developed and were shown the favourite spots in which to sit and dine. 

The Village Hall was buzzing as we launched the Winners Presentation Evening on 24 July. The stage was beautifully decorated and each of the tables had a delightful, hand-tied posies in the centre. The “top table” displayed all the trophies and provided a little competition for the gleaming chains of office worn by the Deputy Mayor and Mayoress of Guildford. We had a record number of entries, and the expected guests were all there.

Our Chairman, Elaine Best, opened the Presentation Evening with a warm welcome to all. Celia Chapman announced the results of the “Potato in a Pot” Junior Competitions in 2020 and in 2021. The 2020 winner was Emelia Herrington and this year’s winner was Billy Hauck. With so many wonderful entries and therefore so many results to announce, it was necessary to move very quickly. Each person’s winning certificate was presented by Cllr Frances King in record time. There was a distinct party atmosphere during the interval whilst the delicious canapes and wine were served. The second half concluded with the presentation of class winners and the awarding of trophies by Chairman Elaine Best.

Rosemary Tribe received the replica Roxburghe cup as is tradition after winning in 2019, followed by all the Best in each category winners. The Mike Chapman Memorial award for the best vegetable garden was presented by his widow, Celia. Adam Aaronson presented the Judges’ Prize, a beautiful and unique glass sculpture. The Deputy Mayor presented the Community Cup and the Roxburghe Trophy for the overall winner, sharing with everyone that he and his wife were also very keen gardeners, so it was very appropriate that they were able to come as guests to our Presentation Evening. Elaine Best closed the evening with a vote of thanks to all the organisers of the competition praising this flagship event on the Parish Council’s calendar as a quintessentially, rural community event, she went on to say, “as a rural village we need to fight for its preservation and continued existence.” Her words and emotional delivery were heartily supported by bursts of enthusiastic clapping, which brought the wonderful evening to a reluctant close. We hope to see even more new entries next year and a good showing of our stalwarts too, so happy gardening and see MORE of you in 2022! Mel Beynon - [email protected]

We hope to see even more new entries next year and good showing of our stalwarts too, so happy gardening and see you in 2022.

 

List of Indivial Class Winners 2021

 

Best Front Garden.................................................Amelia Plaickner

Best Back Garden .................................................Martin O’Hara

Best Vegetable Patch ...........................................Sue Whitfield

Best First-time Entry .............................................Martin O'Hara

Best Non-Residential Entry ...................................St Mary’s Churchyard

Best Allotment in Grace & Flavour ........................Tom Suffolk

Best Container or Hanging Basket ........................Pip Holmes

2021 Community Cup ............................................West Horsley Place

2021 Judges’ Prize .................................................Chrissy Dunkerley

Overall Winner & ROXBURGH CUP ...................Tom Suffolk 

Special Award (for sheer enthusiasm) ....................Glenesk school. (There was no school competition this year, but they wanted to be part of the event.

The committee of judges would like to express our sincerest thanks to the hugely generous sponsors. WHPC, Spring Reach, Squire’s, Adam Aaronson, Milloe Blinds, Bell & Colvill, Crossroads Stores, Artichoke Interiors, CT Cars, Timberwood Tree Services, Surrey Gardeners, Wimbledon Garden Services, Quaich, TIA Architects & Design.