2026 Spring Garden Competition

There will be ten (10) categories within the competition.

• Best Overall Garden: A professionally maintained garden showcasing exceptional horticultural expertise, craftsmanship and year-round presentation.
• Best Landscaped Garden: Excellence in garden design, plant selection, presentation and maintenance, this category celebrates a beautifully landscaped garden that achieves the highest standard of overall appeal and harmony.
• Best Front Garden: Recognising a well-presented and maintained front garden that enhances the property's street appeal through thoughtful design, plant selection and care.
• Best Back Garden: Recognising a well-designed and maintained backyard garden that combines beauty, functionality and excellent horticultural practices.
• Best Lawn: Recognising a healthy, well-maintained lawn with exceptional presentation, colour, condition and upkeep.
• Best Small Space: This is using ornaments, pots or planter boxes with walled gardens etc.
• Best School Garden: We encourage local preschools, primary schools and high schools where students and teachers have worked together to enter this category.
• Best Garden Feature: Celebrating a standout element that adds character, beauty and uniqueness to a garden, whether it's a water feature, sculpture, garden structure, or other eye-catching focal point.
• Best Streetscape:  A garden area adjacent to the street which may include the entry gate or pathway leading to the front door of the residence.
• Best Beautified or Maintained Public Space: This could also be a contribution made by a group of volunteers at a recognised bushcare site or where local community organisations have worked together to utilise garden space and improve and beautify the amenity.

Entries is FREE for all residents living within the Hunters Hill municipality. 

All entrants will receive:

• FREE MULCH from Council. Please email Robbie at info@huntershill.nsw.gov.au to confirm collection and provide proof of entry to the competition.
• FREE ENTRY to Awards Evening with guest speakers Sandra and Graham Ross AO on Thursday 15 October, with light supper and drinks.
• FREE professional PHOTOS of winning gardens

Prizes for winning gardens include plaques, vouchers, gardening accessories and plants. Thank you to Green Space Partner who have donated a Husqvarna lawn mower prize.

Competition entries will open Saturday 1 August and close on Monday 28 September. 

Judging will take place in the following week, with the Awards Evening on Thursday 15 October from 5.30pm at the Boronia Park Sports and Community Facility. The Awards Evening will feature guest speakers Sandra and Graham Ross AO. Refreshments and light snacks will be served.

An Open Day will be held on Sunday 1 November from 10am until 3.30pm, commencing from the Hunters Hill Town Hall. Residents will be invited to view the winning gardens as well as other beautiful showcase gardens in the municipality, not entered in the competition.

Judging will take place from 6-9 October. 

All entries will be judged by a panel of professional gardeners and horticulturists based on three main factors:

• Maintenance - covering well-presented lawns and clipped scrubs, considered water usage and overall attention to detail.
• Design - covering aspects such as layout, colour, use of line, form, texture and plant use.
• Intent - which is the active participation of the entrant, level of knowledge and enthusiasm and extent of third-party assistance.

Tickets for the Open Garden Day on Sunday 1 November can now be purchased online here. Tickets cost $30 and can also be purchased on the day from the Hunter's Hill Council forecourt.

Our showcase gardens this year include:

• Clifton - 7 Woolwich Rd, Hunters Hill
• Bayfield - 3 Woolwich Rd, Hunters Hill

Both these homes will be opened along with the 2026 Hunters Hill Spring Garden Competition winners.

Thank you to Binet Homes for their support and sponsorship of this year's event. 

Sponsors wishing to be involved in supporting the competition are welcome and all funds raised during the competition will be dedicated to restoring the staircase at Kelly Bush.

Enquiries should be directed to Rotary Club of Hunters Hill - 

rotaryhuntershill@gmail.com

Rotary Club of Hunters Hill, contact:

Email: rotaryhuntershill@gmail.com 

The 2025 Hunters Hill Spring Garden winners include:

• Overall best large garden – Anthea Rowe
• Overall best small garden – Karl Romandi
• Best small balcony and courtyard garden – Anne Amos 
• Best native inspired ‘habitat-friendly’ garden – Ken Hall
• Best streetscape garden – Lynne Metcalfe
• Best beautified or maintained public space – Henley Green Community Garden
• Best Local School Gardens – Giant Steps Sydney