Chesterfield in Bloom
Chesterfield in Bloom is our year-round campaign involving residents, businesses, schools, community groups and a wide range of volunteers.
Our aim is to involve more people in improving their local area, the environment and the character of Chesterfield, and we aim to make our town a cleaner and greener place to live, work and visit.
Our award-winning borough prides itself on the innovative displays you will see in parks, traffic islands and roundabouts. Over the years we have worked hard to improve the appearance of the borough as a place to live, work and visit.
We encourage local neighbourhoods to get active in improving their own areas of Chesterfield.
Find out about:
- 2023 winners
- Chesterfield in Bloom
- Best kept allotments
- Schools in Bloom
- Council tenant's gardening completition
2023 Chesterfield in Bloom winners
Adult awards
Best Container Garden / Hanging Basket – Andrea Brookes
An absolute riot of colour excellently presented pots and great use of clipped and architectural plants act as the backdrop to this stunning display.
Best Small Allotment Plot - Gemma Tipper
The judges were particularly impressed with the overall layout of this plot and the nice balance of fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers. The use of space was very productive and there appeared to be a lot of thought given to providing a good succession of crops without overproducing any one particular variety. A very attractive plot maintained to a very high standard.
Best Large Allotment Plot - John Taylor Inkersall Allotments
A very well laid out and productive plot. The use of space was very productive and there appeared to be a lot of thought given to providing a good succession of crops without overproducing any one particular variety. All plants were clean and in good health. A plot maintained to the highest standard and innovative uses of recycled materials.
Best Pub/Restaurant - Tramway Tavern Tim and Jennie Dann
A superb display of planters and hanging baskets, maintained to a very high standard that set of the front of the pub as well as brightening up the street scene.
Council Tenant Container/Hanging Basket - Sheila Beer
Good use of containers, flowering and foliage plants to brighten up these communal spaces.
Council Tenant Front Back and Side Garden - Ashley Orwin
A riot of colour in pots and planted spaces throughout the garden. A beautifully landscape and well-maintained garden. Good use of hard and soft landscaped elements. Healthy plants, with good colour combinations, a garden with really lived in feel.
Best Back Garden Small (less than 80m2) - Wendy Tipper
A real haven of greenery, with colour and interest all year round, beautifully laid out and maintained to a high standard. Excellent hard landscaping that provides a perfect foil to the planted elements.
Best Back Garden Large - Ruth and Lynton Grice
A superb first-time entry beautifully laid out and maintained to the highest standard. Superb plant combinations, high quality plants, thoughtful use of ornaments and garden furniture all contribute to towards an excellent garden. This garden had a real homely feel a true extension to house.
Best Front Garden - Malcolm and Andrew Strong
A lovely combination of shrubs, roses and annual bedding plants that set off the front of this house. With an excellent maintained lawn. A lovely display that can be appreciated by the owner and neighbours alike.
Best Overall - Wendy Tipper
A beautifully laid out garden, a peaceful and tranquil oasis. A real haven of greenery, with colour and interest all year round, beautifully landscaped and maintained to a high standard. Excellent use of plants with bold foliage giving real structure to the garden.
Schools/Children
Painting Competition Reception to Year 2 - sponsored by Banner Box
- Nate Plasted Speedwell Infant School
The judges loved your bold shapes and use of colour.
Painting Competition Year 3 to Year 6 - sponsored by Banner Box
- Eleri Heason Brockwell Junior School
The judges were very impressed with your regal crown fit for a King.
Wheelbarrow Competition
- Brookfield Community School
A great use of your props and a really good planting arrangement.
Fabulous Flowers
- Westfield Infant School
- Calow C of E Primary School
- Brockwell Nursey and Infant School
- Speedwell Infant School
Yet again this year some imaginative use of flowers and plants to brighten up your school grounds. The photos illustrate just small parts of what you have achieved you should all be really proud of your efforts in this very dry and challenging year.
Vibrant Vegetables
- Westfield Infant School
- Calow C of E Primary
- Brockwell Infant and Primary School
- Speedwell Infant School
Vegetables grown to illustrate the lifecycle of plants from seed to produce at all the schools. Some really good examples and the harvest this year will have been a good one.
Radical Recycling
- Westfield Infant School
- Calow C of E Primary
- Brockwell Infant and Primary School
- Speedwell Infant School
Nothing goes to waste from old plant containers, tyres used as containers and items gathered to create to bug hotels and hedgehog hotels – imaginative ideas very well created.
Wonderful Wildlife
- Westfield Infant School
- Calow C of E Primary
- Brockwell Infant and Primary School
- Speedwell Infant School
Some really good examples were seen at all your schools of a wide range of habitats for all sorts of flora and fauna.
There were five different categories for Chesterfield in Bloom 2023:
- Best front garden
- Best back garden (up to 80m2)
- Best back garden (larger than 80m2)
- Best container garden/hanging basket
- Best blooming pub/restaurant
Entrants could only apply in two categories - everyone who took part was automatically entered for the best overall garden judging.
There were also separate competitions for school gardens, best kept allotments, and council tenants.
There is a thriving allotment community in Chesterfield and we encouraged our growers to enter the Chesterfield In Bloom competition and show off their blooming allotments.
Why you should get involved
Entering the competition shows support for:
- promoting the health, quality of life and socially inclusive benefits of allotment gardening
- encouraging the biodiversity of plants and wildlife
- taking pride in your local community and supporting the Borough through the raising of standards on your allotment site.
Who could enter
The allotment competition was open to all allotment associations and their members within the Chesterfield borough boundary.
Competition categories
- Best kept individual allotment plot (150m2 and above)
- Best kept individual allotment plot (less than 150m2)
Enthusiastic green-fingered school children and teachers were encouraged to enter this year’s Schools in Bloom competition in the following categories:
- Fabulous flowers
- Vibrant vegetables
- Wonderful wildlife
- Radical recycling
Everyone that took part in the competition will be invited to a celebration event in September.
Council tenant's gardening competition
There were prizes for:
- Best front, back or side garden
- Best container or hanging bask
- Environmental champions
You could also nominate a person or a local group that goes the extra mile to improve one of our estates for the environmental champions category.
The competition was open to all Chesterfield Borough Council housing tenants.
Entry to our 2023 competitions closed in June, winners will be announced here soon.
Sponsoring Chesterfield in Bloom
Local businesses take pride in supporting the Chesterfield in Bloom campaign and helping to improve the town.
A wide range of opportunities are available, including tree sponsorship, hanging basket sponsorship, sponsoring a whole park and the popular traffic island sponsorship.