The Show Must Go On As Swad In Bloom Moves Online Due To Coronavirus Lockdown

Swad in Bloom is adapting to the constraints of the coronavirus lockdown by staging its inaugural amateur garden show online.

The volunteer group, founded less than a year ago, is inviting green-fingered residents in Swadlincote and surrounding villages to celebrate their gardening achievements by entering the June competition.

Chairman Ingrid Van Der Weide told Swadlincote Nub News: "Our inaugural amateur garden show was going to be part of the Festival of Leisure, now cancelled due to the coronavirus.

"In fact, we had lots of wonderful plans and projects in place, but these have now all gone by the wayside.

"But, rather than say we can't hold our first garden show, we are going to adapt to the current circumstances and run it online instead.

"The lockdown means people - older and younger - have been spending more time enjoying the physical and mental benefits of gardening and our competition will give them an opportunity to showcase their hard work.

"We have intentionally included categories where you don't have to have a big garden - or a garden at all - so it is inclusive for everyone."

There are six free-to-enter classes:

1. Decorative cake with a fruit or vegetable theme

1. Cut flower arrangement

1. Ikebana (Japanese) flower arrangement

1. Miniature Japanese Garden

1. Early flowering plant in a pot

1. Home-grown vegetable

Classes one to four are split into adult and under 12s, with five and six adult-only.

Gardeners simply submit up to three photographs of their single submission for each category they want to enter.

The winner, runner-up and third place entry in each category, judged by an independent panel, will be sent a certificate by post and there will be a winners' gallery published on the website and shared on social media.

To pre-register for the show and more information about entering visit the Swad in Bloom website Swad in Bloom Amateur Garden Show