Garden Awards

Rewarding gardening excellence in Randwick

Winner announcement 2021

About the awards

Randwick City Council's annual Garden Awards encourage local residents and organisations to showcase their garden and be involved in community gardens and environmentally sustainable initiatives.

Although it has been a difficult time for the community this year, Randwick City Council would like to use the Garden Awards to celebrate and recognise the work of residents and community groups and their contribution to beautifying Randwick City.


The competition is open to:

  • residents
  • community groups
  • schools
  • commercial enterprises

for Gardens from all suburbs of the City of Randwick including Chifley, Clovelly, Coogee, Kensington, Kingsford, La Perouse,  Little Bay, Malabar, Maroubra, Matraville, Phillip Bay, Randwick and South Coogee.

Categories

CategoryDescription
Best residential garden (house)A well designed residential front and/or back garden with thought given to all aspects of the garden including, plant selection, hard landscaping and careful maintenance.
Best small spaces garden Small spaces that have had their gardens potential maximised through pots, planter boxes, ornaments, walled gardens. Areas where gardeners are often challenged by limited space and hard surfaces, including small houses, flats, townhouses, balconies, courtyards, etc.
Best professional gardenMajority of the gardening work is carried out by professional gardeners.
Best native gardenResidential gardens that feature at least 75% Australian native plant selection including embracing a wide variety of unique flora and fauna.
Best edible or productive gardenAny garden that features edible or productive products.
Best vertical or roof-top gardenInnovative use of vertical or roof top space to create visual interest and increase plant coverage.
Best school gardenA school garden created or cared for by a child or group of children.
Best community garden (non-residential)For the most beautiful public space maintained by volunteers in the local area.
Best kept street gardenSeizing the opportunity to contribute to the beautification of Randwick City by creating a beautiful, well-maintained street or verge garden.
Eco champion awardAward for the most effective use of environmentally friendly gardening techniques, demonstration of environmental awareness and/or using recycled materials.

Nominations

Nominations for the 2021 Garden Awards have now closed. Thank you for everyone that entered this year!

If you have any questions, please contact the Events Team via phone on 02 9093 6791 or email events@randwick.nsw.gov.au

Conditions of entry

All gardens must be located within the City of Randwick.

You may enter your garden for consideration in more than one category, however

  • You must complete separate entry forms for each category including photos / video  requirements (different photos to suit the particular category are encouraged, but you may reuse the same photos / videos if you like).
  • The judges reserve the right to change the category of entry at their discretion.

Judging will be carried out by independent professional garden judges.

All awards and prizes are given at the discretion of the judges, whose decision will be final, and no correspondence shall be entered into.

Photographs, videos and written content submitted may be reproduced in Randwick City Council’s promotional material including Council website, social media channels and may be published in the local media. These items remain the property of Randwick City Council.

Randwick City Council staff and their families are not entitled to enter.

Judging

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and NSW Health restrictions, this year all categories will be judged virtually. The judging criteria for each category is based on garden layout, plant selection, landscaping and maintenance.

Judges will also consider what the garden means to you, your family and/or the community.

As judging will be conducted online, all nominees are required to submit five standard sized photos (taken in landscape), and a short video (up to 2 minutes in duration) per entry. In order to give the judges a better understanding of the space, it is also encouraged that you submit a rough sketch of your garden showing the boundary and indicating where the photographs have been taken from.

If you wish to submit your garden for multiple award categories, you will be required to complete multiple entry forms, tailoring each one to the chosen category, and you may choose to submit different photos that are best suited to each category.

Judging is conducted by a panel of independent professional Garden Awards judges who are engaged by Council to provide their impartial and highly specialised expertise.

The prizes

Certificates will be awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in each category.

Winners in each category will also receive gift certificates purchased by Council to spend at local gardening businesses.

2021 Winners

  • Best Residential Garden - Janice Zwierzynski
  • Best Community Garden - Beach Street Residents and Friends
  • Best Vertical or Rooftop Garden - Rob Kolbe
  • Best Small Spaces Garden - Andrew Parker
  • Best Edible or Productive Garden - Corinne Mossati
  • Best Street Garden - Janice Zwierzynski
  • Best Eco Champion Award - Corinne Mossati
  • Best Eco Champion Award - Barbara and Les Millist
  • Best Native Garden - Daniel Young
  • Best Professional Garden - Andrew Parker (Tyrwhitt Street, Maroubra)
  • Best School Garden - Malabar Public School

2020 Winners

  • Best Residential Garden - Kay & Gene Ransom (in video)
  • Best Community Garden - Coogee Community Garden (in video)
  • Best Vertical or Rooftop Garden - Andrew Parker (in video)
  • Best Small Spaces Garden -  Maxine Williams & Deborah Hill
  • Best Edible or Productive Garden - Nick & Maria Vella
  • Best Street Garden - Susan Lever
  • Best Eco Champion Award - Anne Allaway
  • Best Native Garden - Anni Browning
  • Best Professional Garden - Stephen Coudounaris
  • Best School Garden - Randwick Family Daycare

2019 Winners

  • Best Residential Garden (House) – Kay & Gene Ransom, Kingsford
  • Best Residential Garden (Small House, Townhouse, Flat) – Andrew Parker, Maroubra
  • Best Native Garden – Kim & Debby Rudder, Maroubra
  • Best Edible or Productive Garden – Emile Avramides (Clovelane), Randwick
  • Best Vertical or Roof-Top Garden – Andrew Parker, Maroubra
  • Best School Garden – Maroubra Junction Public School, Maroubra
  • Best Community Garden – Mary Golsby & Robert Wilson (Tramway Park), Coogee
  • Eco Champion – Maroubra Bay Public School, Maroubra
  • Best Kept Street Garden – Ross & Grace Paterson, Maroubra
  • Best Kept Street Garden – Denis Kayis, Randwick
  • Best Kept Street Garden – Bob & Kay King, Kingsford
  • Overall Grand Champion – Andrew Parker, Maroubra

2018 Winners

Best residential garden (house) - Mavis Hargrove , Coogee
Best residential garden (small house, flat or townhouse) - Anne Howard, Coogee
Eco Balcony Award - Yeen Howe Eugene Liu, Randwick
Best native garden - Kim Rudder, Maroubra
Best edible or productive garden - Nick Vella, Maroubra
Best vertical or roof-top garden - Ross Patterson, Maroubra
Best school garden - Maroubra Bay Public School
Best community garden - Old Tramway Park, Randwick

Eco Champions Award - Maroubra Bay Public School

Best kept nature strip:

  • Emile Avramides, Randwick
  • Fred Orr, Coogee
  • Bob and Kay King, Kingsford
  • Marie Hamilton, Phillip Bay
  • Stephen Summerhayes, Malabar
  • Ross Patterson, Maroubra
  • Soliders Settlement Public School, Matraville

Best Overall Garden – Mark Allen, Malabar

2017 Winners

Best residential garden (house) - Kay and Gene Ransom, Kingsford
Best residential garden (small house, flat or townhouse) - Rochelle & Scott Thompson, Randwick
Balcony/alfresco Garden - Rochelle & Scott Thompson, Randwick
Best native garden - Kim Rudder, Maroubra
Best edible or productive garden - Nick Vella, Maroubra
Best vertical or roof-top garden - Felicity Hall, Maroubra
Best school garden - Maroubra Bay Public
Best community garden - Old Tramway Park, Randwick

Special Award – Eco Champions - Randwick Public School

Best kept nature strip:

  • Fred Orr, Coogee
  • Bob & Kay King, Kingsford
  • Stephen Summerhayes, Malabar
  • Ross & Grace Paterson, Maroubra
  • Phillip Small, Matraville
  • Maree & Kyran Hamilton, Phillip Bay
  • Berman Kayis - Randwick

Best Overall Garden - Kay and Gene Ransom, Kingsford

2016 Winners

Winners of the 2016 Garden Awards are:

Best residential garden (house) - Alla Novochenok, Maroubra
Best residential garden (small house, flat or townhouse) – Harris & Deanna Reichman, Randwick
Balcony / alfresco Garden – Monica Grzesiak & JP Partyka, Little Bay
Best native garden - Kim Rudder, Maroubra
Best edible or productive garden – Coogee Community Garden
Best vertical or roof-top garden - Kensington Public School
Best school garden – Chifley Public School
Best community garden – Old Tramway Park, Randwick

Best kept nature strip:

  • Keith Jeffery, Chifley
  • Susan Lever, Coogee
  • Lisa Elias, Kensington
  • Bob & Kay King, Kingsford
  • Julia Batty, Malabar
  • Ross & Grace Paterson, Maroubra
  • Soldiers Settlement Public School, Matraville
  • Maree & Kyran Hamilton, Phillip Bay
  • Fred Orr, South Coogee

Best Overall Garden – Kim Rudder, Maroubra

2015 Winners

Winners of the 2015 Garden Awards are:

Best residential garden (house) - Alla Novochenok, Maroubra
Best residential garden (small house, flat or townhouse) – Robin Gandevia, Randwick
Alfresco Garden – Howard Spencer, Randwick
Best native garden - Kim Rudder, Maroubra
Best Edible or Productive Garden – Coogee Community Garden
Best school garden – Randwick Public School
Best community garden - Triangle Park, Randwick
Best Kept Nature Strip:

  • Jim & Maureen Walsh, Chifley
  • Susan Lever & Michael Kavanagh, Coogee
  • Chaminda Nanayakkara, Kingsford
  • Stephen Summerhayes, Malabar
  • Ross & Grace Paterson, Maroubra
  • Maree & Kyran Hamilton, Phillip Bay

Best Overall Garden – Randwick Public School
Special Judges Award - Best Eco-Champion – Randwick Public School

2014 Winners

Winners of the 2014 Garden Awards are:

Best residential garden (house) Susan Lever, Coogee
Best residential garden (small house, flat or townhouse) – Alla Novochenok, Maroubra
Balcony Garden – Howard Spencer, Randwick
Best native garden - Kim Rudder, Maroubra
Best Edible or Productive Garden (residents only) – Coogee Community Garden
Best school garden – Coogee Public School
Best community garden - Old Tramway Group, Randwick
Best Kept Nature Strip:

  • Maureen Walsh, Chifley
  • Susan Lever & Michael Kavanagh, Coogee
  • Lisa Elias, Kensington
  • Chaminda Nanayakkara, Kingsford
  • Julia Batty, Malabar
  • Ross Paterson, Maroubra
  • Maree & Kyran Hamilton, Phillip Bay

Best Overall Garden – Susan Lever, Randwick
Special Judges Awards for the following categories:

  • Best Eco-Champion – Coogee Bay Public School
  • Good Neighbour Award – Chaminda Nanayakkara, Kingsford
  • Judges Encouragement Award – Lawrence Hawkins, Coogee
Last Updated: 25 October 2022
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