Welcome back to Ready Steady Grow! Our annual gardening competition for Sanctuary Supported Living residents is now open. This year, we’ve got two fun new categories to choose from:
- The Great Garden Challenge
- Wholesome Harvest
Residents can also enter the Tallest Sunflower category, for an extra chance to win.
Whether you’re a resident at one of our supported living services or retirement communities, this competition is for you! Transform your communal garden, allotment, or courtyard in any way you like. With some fantastic prizes up for grabs, this is your time to shine.
Send us an email confirming you are taking part!
What are the deadlines for the competition?
Monday 3 March 2025: Competition opens – send us an email confirming you are taking part to readysteadygrow@sanctuary.co.uk.
Monday 21 July 2025: Deadline to submit your final photos and entries for the competition.
Monday 11 August – Monday 18 August 2025: Online public vote is open.
Monday 1 September 2025: Winners announced via email to managers and scheme mailboxes, and on our website.
What are the prizes for the winners?
Everyone who enters the competition will receive a certificate of recognition. The winners will receive a trophy and a gift card:
The Great Garden Challenge
- First Place “Best Great Garden Challenge”: £200 gift card
- Runner Up “Highly Commended Great Garden Challenge”: £100 gift card
- Spot Prize chosen by our Resident Advisory Panel and Resident Scrutiny Panel: £30 gift card
Wholesome Harvest
- First Place “Best Wholesome Harvest”: £200 gift card
- Runner Up “Highly Commended Wholesome Harvest”: £100 gift card
- Spot Prize chosen by our Resident Advisory Panel and Resident Scrutiny Panel: £30 gift card
Tallest Sunflower
- Winner: £50 gift card
All winners will be asked to have a photo with their trophy, certificate, and voucher, which will be published on our website. Winners will receive a B&Q gift card, the perfect prize for garden enthusiasts!
How will my entry be judged?
Your garden will be judged by public vote between Monday 11 August and Monday 18 August 2025. Highlighting the transformation of your garden is crucial. Voters will be keen to see how your garden has improved. Therefore, make sure to capture some ‘before and after’ photos.
- Great Garden Challenge
Judging for this category will be based on the overall positioning of displays and designs, as well as how colourful your garden looks. Consider factors like colour, impact, composition, and also plant health – will your chosen plants work well together and thrive? The transformation from the ‘before’ to ‘after’ photos will significantly impact judging. The size of your garden doesn’t matter; what counts is how you’ve developed it and the effort you’ve put in to showcase your transformed garden.
- Wholesome Harvest
The primary factor in judging will be the quality of your fruit and vegetables. We’ll consider all factors that influence quality including maturity, freshness, as well as being free from disease, insect damage, and blemishes. Remember, it’s not about the size of your space. If you can grow a variety of ripe, ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables, and can make them look their best in your photos, you could do well in this category.
- Tallest Sunflower
As well as entering either of the Great Garden Challenge or the Wholesome Harvest categories, residents can also enter the Tallest Sunflower category for a bonus chance to win a prize!
Measurements are taken from the ground up to the base of the sunflower head or green bud using a tape measure. Remember to take a photo!
Resources
To help you plan your competition entry, we’ve provided several printable documents.
Download these resources to get started:
- Residents information pack: Everything you need to know about the competition.
- Promotional Posters: Spread the word about Ready Steady Grow!
- Progress Cards: Monitor the growth and progress of your plants.
- Garden Planner: Plan your garden layout and keep track of your plants.
- Planting Calendar: A guide to help you know when to plant your seeds and seedlings.
- Health Benefits Poster: Learn about the health benefits of gardening.
- Photo Consent Form: Required for submitting photos of your garden.