Pupils Aim for the Sky in Tallest Sunflower Competition
The Ards and North Down Borough Council’s Tallest Sunflower Competition is officially open for entries. Those aged 16 and under are urged to dust off their overalls and put their gardening skills to the test, in an aim to grow the tallest sunflower in the Borough.
Running as part of the ‘In Bloom’ Community Competitions, the Tallest Sunflower contest is one of several In Bloom categories that are open to young people.
These competitions include the Best School Gardening Project and the Young Volunteer of the Year.
To support the popular initiative, the Council will be distributing 10,000 packets of seeds to schools throughout the Borough, so the race is on to find out who can grow the tallest sunflower by the end of August.
The Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Karen Douglas, said: “I am delighted to announce the opening of the hotly contested Tallest Sunflower Competition.
“Each year, young people from across the Borough take immense pride in our outdoor spaces and in the plants they grow.
“This contest helps recognise those efforts and will also contribute towards the Borough’s entry into the Translink Ulster in Bloom competition and other regional awards.
“I look forward to seeing the fruits of our young people’s labour come August. Some of our past winners have reached heights of more than four metres.
“I’m excited to see if anyone can beat the record this year! Good luck to all participants.”
Other competitions for young gardeners include a Painting Competition, Best School Garden Project and Young Volunteer of the Year.
For those over the age of 16, categories include Best Kept Front Garden, Gardening for Wildlife, Best Kept Commercial Premises, Best Kept Community Planting Scheme and Volunteer of the Year.
The competitions are free to enter and prizes are available for the winners and runners-up in each. For more information, please visit:
