City of Vincent’s Garden Competition 2nd Place
Encompassing the inner-city suburbs of North Perth, Mount Hawthorn, Highgate, Leederville, Mount Lawley, East Perth, West Perth and Perth, the annual Greening Vincent Garden Competition calls residents of the City of Vincent to showcase not only the aesthetic appeal of their gardens, but also their commitment to waterwise and sustainable practices.
In November 2023, my partner and I were fortunate enough to take out second place in the category of Best Residential Front or Back Garden.
Here's a glimpse into our entry, the in-person judging, and how it all went down at the awards night.
Our Entry
Native Plants: The garden features a mature olive tree, lemon tree, grape vine and Australian natives including a bottle brush tree, eucalyptus pulverulenta, grevillea banksia and various succulents that not only thrive in our region, but also provides habitat for local wildlife.
Vegetable Garden, Pesticide and Fertiliser Management: A large vegetable garden is situated in our back yard which includes home grown broccoli, cauliflower, passionfruit, tomatoes, and herbs to name a few. Not only is this extremely rewarding and saves money, but this also leads to less food and packaging waste – picking our food as we need it. In addition, it provides a habitat for various insects, birds, and beneficial microorganisms. Instead of relying on pesticides and chemical fertilisers, we use natural alternatives such as companion planting, planting flowers which encourage beneficial insects, and homemade compost of kitchen scraps and green waste to create nutrient-rich compost that enriches our garden’s soil naturally.
Mulch: A thick layer of organic mulch covers our garden beds acting as a protective barrier, reducing evaporation and keeping the soil cool. It also helps control weed growth which further conserves water.
Drip Irrigation, Waterwise Sprinklers & Water Monitoring: To ensure precise and efficient watering, we’ve installed a drip irrigation system which delivers water directly to the base of each plant, minimising wastage from overspray or runoff. For the grass, we have installed MP Rotator water saving sprinklers which are the world’s most efficient sprinkler nozzle and saves up to 30% in water use. In addition, we only water early in the morning or at night which helps the plants retain water and regularly adjust watering schedules based on weather conditions, preventing unnecessary watering during rainy periods.
Judgement Day
After being shortlisted from our written entry and uploaded photos, an in-person judging took place. There were two representatives from the City of Vincent, a representative from Water Corporation, and a photographer. I had some tight deadlines at work that day so Isabel got the last-minute call-up and had to represent us, thus stealing the prized second place name off me. She had to provide the judging panel a tour of the garden and talk through all our waterwise and sustainable practices.
Awards Night
Held at the charming North Perth restaurant, The Old Laundry, the Greening Vincent Garden Competition Awards Night invites all entrants. MC'd by the local Mayor, Alison Xamon, the night featured free-flowing drinks and delicious canapés, making it a highly recommended event for all gardening and beer enthusiasts (I would recommend entering just so you can attend the event)!
As the night progressed, we were both equally as shocked when we discovered our second-place triumph in the category of Best Residential Front or Back Garden, with first place in Mount Hawthorn rightfully deserving of their win. Scootering home with a $100 voucher to Will St in Leederville and a $100 voucher to Zanthorrea Nursery in Maida Vale, it was a great night!
Click here to see all the 2023 winners.
Clarence xx