• First prize -- Peter Aiano plot 44
• Second prize -- Lorraine and Barry White, plot 2b&3a
• Third prize -- Nora and Kevin Dunn plot 10a
• Best newcomer-- Lorraine and Barry White, plot 2b&3a
• Second-best newcomer -- Dharmasakhya plot 32a
• Third-best newcomer -- Brian Adkins plot 70b
• Runner up newcomer, with special mention for efforts in creating a new plot from rough ground -- Mehmet Yeter plot 43b&42a
• All newcomers whose gardens are a reasonable standard are given a certificate to recognise their achievements during the year: Patricia, Sid, Elif, and Jamie as well as the four best newcomers
  

Prizewinners will be collecting their prizes and certificates at theAnnual General meeting at the site Sunday 28 September.

The trophy engraving and the beautiful glass plaques for the four top winners are sponsored by Walthamstow Stadium. We are very sad that this will be the last year that they sponsor us, but will remember them every time we award the third prize trophy which they established last year. There is a campaign to save the Stadium.

This year's branch competition was a little bit different, as we have made it part of a process of encouraging everyone to be more wildlife friendly and aware of water conservation.

A number of plot holders already have ponds and other things to encourage wildlife, most prefer not to use chemicals, and many save water by using waterbutts and mulches.

We sent plot holders some information on wildlife friendly gardening with our branch newsletters including the full set of criteria. See our links on wildlife-friendly gardening and info on water conservation .

We were delighted to have as judges Peter Holman and Geoff Hyde from London in Bloom , and they looked at all the usual things like quality and range of crops, and condition of plots and plants, and also at wildlife friendly gardening and water conservation (which each accounted for 10% of the marks).

The judges were very impressed by the standards of the gardens, and especially pleased to see newcomers doing so well and achieving so much in only a few months.