Islington Wildlife

Islington in bloom 2012

Green-fingered residents in Islington are being invited to get ready for this year's Islington in Bloom competition.

Categories range from best children's planting to best container planting, with garden vouchers up for grabs for the winners.  The Camden Garden Centre is also giving a free bag of compost, a half price plant and a £5 gift voucher to every entrant.

Prizes are sponsored by local businesses and organisations, and the deadline for applications is Friday 15 June.

Islington in Bloom is judged by the council's Greenspace staff and Islington Gardeners volunteers. The entries will be judged on: visual impact, selection and use of plants, design and quality of features, maintenance and condition, sustainability, wildlife friendliness and community involvement (in appropriate categories).

Judging will take place in early July, at the same time as the borough is being judged for London in Bloom.

To find out more or to fill in an application form visit our www.islington.gov.uk/inbloom or call Morgan Pegg on 020 7527 1782.

Application forms can also be picked up at park keepers’ huts in Islington's parks, the Islington Ecology Centre in Gillespie Road and in the borough's libraries and leisure centres.

The full list of categories, with sponsors' names in brackets, is as follows:

Best Container Garden (Camden Garden Centre)

Best Front Garden (Islington Gazette)

Best entry from an individual Housing Services resident - (Islington's Housing Services)

Best Self-contained Community Garden (Eurovia)

Best Residential Communal Garden (Mick Duffy, Horticulturalist)

Best tree pit - (City Suburban)

Best allotment or food growing plot - (Enterpirse plc)

Best children's planting - (After Noah)

Best blooming pub or business - (Irvin Leisure and Islington Gazette)

Best forgotten corner - (Partners for Improvement)

Nancy Pattenden Award - (Islington Gardeners)

Islington Tree Wardens Easter Event

When: 14 April 2012

Time: 10:30am to 1:30pm

Where: New River Walk, Canonbury

Building on the great success of the Islington Tree Warden launch event on the Westbourne Estate, we are now planning our exciting Easter activities.

There'll be something for everyone with lots of arts and crafts for children to get involved in plus an hour long tree walk for those interested along the beautiful canal. The tree walk will be lead by one of the knowledgable Tree Officers from Islington's Tree Service so promises to be both fun and informative.

These walks always prove very popular so please let us know if you intend to come along and then we can plan how many cuppa's to have ready!

For more information and to rsvp please email Freya.Grummitt@islington.gov.uk

Spring Networking Event

Thursday, 23rd February, 5-8pm

Finsbury Library Hall, 245 St John Street, EC1V 4NB

This networking event is open to people who are planning to start or expand a community food-growing space in 2012. It will be an opportunity to hear from successful growing projects, take part in workshops and meet like-minded people over delicious food and drink.

The event will include workshops on:

● Starting a food-growing project

● Growing in containers and small spaces

● Growing to sell

The event is free to Capital Growth members.

Otherwise there is a charge of £10 per person (includes delicious food). For more info and to book go to http://www.capitalgrowth.org/events/networkingevents/.

Grow for gold

To commemorate the Olympic year, Capital Growth has launched “Grow for Gold” to encourage and support community groups who want to start a food growing space in 2012. Support includes training, events, monthly competitions and much more and is designed to help people start their food growing space in time for the Olympics and Paralympic Games, when the Grow for Gold competition will be judged. The final winners will win additional prizes from Capital Growth sponsors.

To celebrate the launch of Grow for Gold, we are giving away five cash prizes, each representing the popular Olympic running events (£1500, £800, £400, £200 £100), to community groups and schools who want to start a community food-growing space this year, plus the chance to win training and vouchers to help you get growing ! To find out more visit Capital Growth.

Cast your vote now and help Freightliners Farm

Freightliners Farm have been shortlisted to recieve a green grant for £10,000 for a bee club.

To find out more and vote please visit green giving.