Top gardening trend predictions from the Garden Media Guild Awards
02 December 2018
Challenging how we garden, getting your 'nature fix' and food security are all top trends as revealed at the gardening ‘Oscars’.
No-dig gardening, pocket-sized veg patches, the health benefits of wildlife spaces and what to do with unwanted black plastic pots were just some of the key issues being championed by gardening’s greatest influencers at this year’s gardening ‘Oscars’ – the Garden Media Guild Awards, held at The Savoy, London on 29 November.
The Garden Media Guild Awards Lunch is one of the biggest events of the horticultural calendar, rivalling the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in its significance for those who tweet, write, blog, photograph and broadcast about gardening. The Awards, sponsored by Westland, attract entries from the country’s leading gardening trend-watchers and setters.
An explosion in the number of gardening lovers communicating their successes - and failures – across all social platforms, has led to a growth in green-fingered, online trend-setters who are sharing their views and advice with an audience of all ages and encouraging them to get out and enjoy the many benefits of gardening, whether they have a window box or a rolling estate!
One of this year’s award winners is Charles Dowding, the ‘no-dig guru’, who promotes the benefits of leaving soil to its own devices via his 97,000 YouTube followers, with very productive results. He was awarded Social Media Influencer of the Year at the Awards for, according to the judges, his ‘easy-to-learn science tips’ and ‘visuals and images that make you want to leave behind your supermarket bags for life’.
Clare Foggett, retiring Chairman of the Garden Media Guild, said: “Growing your own food in whatever space you can is also on the rise – perhaps a subconscious reaction to the uncertain times we live in?”
Other 2018 winners include:
TV Broadcaster of the Year, Paolo Proto of BBC Gardeners’ World, for a game-changing feature highlighting the millions of mainly un-recyclable black plastic plant pots thrown away every year, challenging the industry for a solution. As the Award judges said: "Black plastic plant pots are one of the ignored environmental burdens of our times."
Radio Broadcaster/Podcaster of the Year, and forager and wild food lover, Charlotte Petts of Growing Wild FM, for showcasing the down-to-earth health benefits of nature. "Even the sounds of walking in woodland in the opening few seconds helped me relax and listen," one of the judges said.
Blogger of the Year, Caro Shrives, who specialises in community and small space food growing, for her Urban Veg Patch blog.
Garden Publication of the Year, Kitchen Garden magazine for encouraging gardeners of all abilities to grow their own, enticing them to try out more unusual crops like edible flowers and championing bloggers who log their growing progress on Twitter and Instagram.
Clare Foggett added: “It’s fantastic that so many of this year’s winning entries highlight the force for good that gardening can be and across such a diverse range of platforms, from social media and blogs to traditional stalwart TV programmes and long-standing print magazines. The entire world of gardening media is in a wonderful position to make people aware of gardening’s social, environmental and health benefits – and we have a responsibility to do that too.”
For further information on this, contact Emma Mason or Melissa Mabbitt
You can see all the winners, finalists and judges' comments here
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