Wight in Bloom

Wight in Bloom is the Isle of Wight’s largest competition of its kind and the winners of the 2023 Wight in Bloom have been revealed.

Organised by Visit Isle of Wight, Wight in Bloom is the Island-wide competition to discover the green-fingered talents of residents and businesses who go above and beyond to help the Island cement its reputation as ‘the Garden Isle’ and looking colourful for you when you visit our Island.

Scroll down to discover the winners in each category and the awards they achieved that TV favourite Alan Titchmarsh presented to them. 

Best Small Tourist Attraction Garden 

• Winner - Mottistone Gardens, Mottistone

Judges' comments - "Beautifully presented and well maintained garden with a great range of plants and trees. A worthy winner."

• Runner-up – Farringford Estate, Freshwater

Judges' comments - "This walled garden has a huge range of plants and this spread of colour across the garden was great. We enjoyed the Tennyson quotes dotted here and there."

• Highly Commended – Godshill Model Village, Godshill

Judges' comments - "Wonderful attraction, the planting, maintenance and skill involved in looking after the trees and shrubs was excellent. Easy accessible. The various sounds you can hear going round the garden all add to the atmosphere."

Best Large Tourist Attraction Garden 

• Winner - Robin Hill Country Park, Newport

Judges' comments - "Very well established tourist attraction that has evolved over the years. The enthusiastic gardening team have introduced some very imaginative planting. We loved the water features and all the plants around them."

• Runner-up - Osborne, East Cowes

Judges' comments - "Impressive formal garden with a wonderful variety of mature trees. And flower beds. Very accessible with a wonderful perfume from the trees."

Best Commercial Garden 

• Winner - St Maur Hotel, Ventnor

Judges' comments - "A WOW garden that is a very well established, mature garden. Lots of exotic and unusual plants all looked after by the proprietor. After feedback from last year a wild garden was introduced."

• Runner-up – Haven Hall, Shanklin

Judges' comments - "A fabulous garden on the Cliff Path. Lots of colour, variety of plants. Excellent composting and kitchen garden which is used for guests."

Patron’s Award 

• Winner - Farringford Estate, Freshwater

Judges' comments - "The winner of the Patrons Award is a garden that has done amazing things over the years. They are huge advocates of Wight in Bloom and all things gardening. The garden is sympathetic to the history of the site and makes a nod to the writer that lived here. The garden has a huge range of plants and the way the colour is spread across the garden was inspiring. A truly outstanding entrant that is deserving of the Patrons Award."

Pride of Place Floral Project

• Winner - Sandown Green Town Volunteers, planted beds on Cliff Path, Sandown

Judges' comments - "Wow, exceptional layout. Plants are fantastic for Cliff path tolerant of sea and wind. Excellent use of varying plants. Benches well placed, wildlife friendly, very well maintained and needs little looking after. Accessible to all."

• Runner-up – Bembridge Parish Council, War Memorial Garden

Judges' comments - "Very well laid out. Excellent use of. Perennials and annuals. Lovely variety of trees. Compost bins and water butts well camouflaged. Good use of memorial plaques and very peaceful for sitting and smelling. A good sensory garden which is excellently looked after."  

Best Small Front Garden

• Winner - Sandy Crump, Newport

Judges' comments - "A head turner and beautiful street side corner plot bringing joy to all who walk past. Good use of climbers, small trees, shrubs and perennials. Birds and bees seen in action." 

• Runner-up – Andria Richards, Nettlestone

Judges' comments - "Welcoming front garden. Lovely asset to the street. Good mix of herbaceous annuals, borders and containers. Well labelled, colourful and good resilient and diverse planting."

Best Large Front Garden

• Winner - Colin and Hilary Bailey, Newchurch

Judges' comments - "A true Oasis off the road. Well loved, almost like a piece of fine art."

• Runner-up – Loren Thorn, Binstead

Judges' comments - "Being bold enough to allow nature to take its course, a fine example of urban rewilding."

• Highly Commended – Marion Sibley, Ventnor

Judges' comments - "Garden shows a true commitment by the owner and a beauty she shares with open gardens regularly."

Best Young People Initiative

• Winner - Lucas Richards, Nettlestone

Judges' comments - "An inspiring and varied garden with a strong design theme which demonstrates what can be achieved by thoughtful planting in a fairly small space. A good mix of plants including annual, perennial and floral and edible, both ornamental and wildlife friendly. In many cases grown from seed cuttings."

• Runner-up – St Georges School, Newport

Judges' comments - "A very large and sloping space with a good variety of small gardens and a polytunnel and a wide range of different types of planting. Including accessibility raised beds, the gardens demonstrate a good awareness of the importance of recycling and being wildlife friendly with different types of Compost heaps and a bug hotel."

Best Edible Garden 

• Winner - Glenn Martin, Whitwell

Judges' comments - "Imaginative choice of plants and use of space. A huge variety of fruit and vegetables."

• Runner-up – Nicola Fradgley, Niton

Judges' comments - "Exciting and innovative garden. Good selection of plants and structure."

Best Container Garden 

• Winner - Mrs Nicky Robinson, Cowes

Judges' comments - "Inspiring use of containers to display variety of plants in both colour and texture. Wildlife friendly with use of pollinators. Well maintained to attract birds, bees and butterflies. Plenty of containers. Made good use of the small space. Inspired transformation of what was a lawned area."

• Runner-up – Mr & Mrs Smallman, Shanklin

Judges' comments - "A well thought out garden planted in varied containers. Lots of colour and beautiful plants. This small front garden created immediate impact."

• Highly Commended – Aly & Gary Inman, Sandown

Judges' comments - "The very compact and awkwardly shaped front garden was planted thoughtfully and created instant impact."

Best Care Giving Complex Garden 

• Winner - Sarah Starsmore, Rookley

Judges' comments - "Years of hard work and finance have gone into providing accommodation and natural surroundings. Offering families the chance to relax together in outstanding natural surroundings. A beautifully natural seeded meadow. The judge said it was so restful he was sorry to leave."

• Runner-up – St Mary’s Hospital New Ambulance Station Rest and Wellbeing Garden, Newport

Judges' comments - "This brand new garden for Ambulance crew was neat and tidy. An ideal spot to relax. Large planters with good choice of healthy plants. A table to eat and relax at and a great asset for the NHS team."

Peggy Jarman Award for Overall Winner 

• Lucas Richards, Nettlestone

Judges' comments - "A garden that is a labour of love for the gardener. One who has entered before and always takes on board the judges' comments and introduces what they say. This garden changes year on year with a theme and the enthusiasm from this young gardener is impressive and inspiring. 

The Wight in Bloom (overall) winner would need to be stunning, immaculate, Innovative with a good range of suitable plants and have a significant "Wow" factor. This garden had all of the above and was themed around Wimbledon with plants to match the strawberries and cream theme. A most worthy winner."