The Winners have been announced of the National Trust’s Sky Gardening Challenge competition which encouraged Greater Manchester residents to green their balconies and window boxes.
The campaign set out to promote urban greening and empower people to help green the city in their own spaces, no matter how small.
This year’s entries included a balcony that housed a whole brood of ducklings, memorials for beloved family members, and a pot of mixed seeds from a variety of discarded fruits and vegetables.
The winners were announced last night at a celebration event held at Dukes 92 in Manchester, attended by shortlisted and winning competition entrants.
There were five top prize winners:
Emily Bush in the One Pot Power category.
Harry Gray in the Wild about Wildlife category.
Lana Dang in the Urban Farming category.
Gary and Maureen Kynaston in the Greener Ground Floors category.
Anonymous winner in the Cultivating Creativity category.
Emily Bush, winner of the One Pot Power category said: ‘My initial plans for this pot were for herbs and tomatoes, however both my partner and my housemate have been sneakily adding seeds after chopping fruit and vegetables. All of these were plants that I refused to believe would grow in such a small pot, inside my apartment and in our UK climate.
“However, my partner, who is Palestinian, and my flatmate who is Ghanian, insisted that they would sprout. And they were right! Just a few weeks later we saw all sorts of tiny green shoots…I’ve loved seeing my partner and flatmates get so excited about their seedlings. Each one that sprouts is a success in their eyes and I can see their faces light up with happiness.
Emily continued: “For them, I think it’s a little reminder of home…I hope that one day, I have plentiful produce which I can share with my friends, family and the community to encourage them to try some experimental planting too!’
Other entrants also commented on the positive impact of balcony gardening on their wellbeing and the unexpected role it can play in community building.
One budding balcony gardener said: “Nothing calms me like gardening and sitting on my balcony around my plants. It’s really comforting to have my own little oasis in the city.”
Another said: “Gardening has meant that I’ve been able to get to know my next-door neighbour as we’ll often bump into each other and catch up when we’re both out watering our plants! Without my garden, I wouldn’t go on my balcony or get to know my neighbour.”
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