Hanging Basket Competition

COME ONE, COME ALL! The competition for any green thumb, creative plant lover or anyone simply wanting to be a part of the Show!

Applications for the 2024 Hanging Basket Competition will open on Friday 1st December. To make sure you are kept up to date with any announcements please fill out the expression of interest form on the previous page.

Competition Background

After a successful relaunch in 2023, the Hanging Basket Competition will again take over the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show for 2024. An initiative driven at it’s inception by both Scotsburn Nurseries and the Royal Horticultural Society of Victoria with the assistance of significant industry support, the Show is delighted to have the competition back in a refreshed location and format.

From launching in 2001 with 50 entries, the competition has grown to host over 400 entries in the most recent editions with engagement from Royal Horticultural Society Victoria members, affiliated garden groups, children, schools, TAFE Colleges, disadvantaged sectors, Youth Groups and a range of nurseries throughout the industry. The concept was and remains simple; participants pay an entry fee and receive a hanging basket and potting mix to prepare their very own hanging basket to display at the Show. The aim is to encourage gardening through a platform that allows anyone to be involved in the biggest Flower & Garden Show in the Southern Hemisphere.

The Hanging Basket Competition was created to encourage variety, creativity and providing a blank canvas to all participants. The mantra remains for all participants to have fun and challenge themselves. Recent editions have seen a diverse range of plants such as cacti, succulents, bonsai, natives and culinary varieties. As a result, virtually anything is fair game as long as it can be successfully grown in a basket, with the only conditions listed in the Judging section below.

The competition continues to receive significant industry support thanks to both Brunnings (provider of the hanging baskets) and Debco (provider of the potting mix). The collection locations for the equipment are also integral to the competition, with further details below around the exclusive discounts available to participants from All Green Nursery & Garden, Diaco’s Garden Nursery and Yarra Edge Nursery at the time of collection.

Who can be involved

The short answer is anyone! The previous editions have seen the below groups engage with the competition:

• Schools
• TAFE Colleges
• Garden clubs
• Nurseries
• Any keen gardeners!

Entry Fee

All participants will be required to pay a $50 Entry Fee to enter the Hanging Basket Competition. This is paid directly to the nursery where you collect your Hanging Basket and Potting Mix (details below).

What will you receive

All participants will receive the following for being part of the Hanging Basket Competition

• 35cm Rustic Orb Hanging basket and basket liner provided by Support Partner Brunnings (RRP $32 each) (pictured below)
• 1 x 10L Premium Potting Mix provided by Support Partner Debco (Click here for product info) (pictured below)
• One (1) complimentary One Day ticket to any day of the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show (provided only after delivering your finished hanging basket to the Show)
• Personalised signage added to each hanging basket for display

How to be involved

To take part in the Hanging Basket Competition, participants will need to follow the below process:

1. Complete the application form at the bottom of this page
2. Event Management will notify you when your equipment is available to be collected
3. Travel to your preferred pick-up location to collect your equipment for the competition (pick-up locations detailed below). Equipment will not be delivered to any participants.
4. Pay the $50 entry fee at the pick-up location
5. Take your basket and potting mix home with you to begin your creation
6. Deliver your basket to the Show on Sunday 17th March (more details on the drop off process will be provided closer to the date)
7. Collect your basket from the Show from 4:30pm on Sunday 24th March until 5:30pm Monday 25th March (more details on the collection process will be provided closer to the date)

Prize Money

Prize Money will be awarded to the top 10 entries at the below allocations:

• 1st Place – $1,000
• 2nd Place – $750
• 3rd Place – $500
• 4th Place – $450
• 5th Place – $400
• 6th Place – $350
• 7th Place – $300
• 8th Place – $250
• 9th Place – $200
• 10th Place – $150

Judging & Brief

All entries on display at the Show will be judged.

Our Head Judge, Inge Jabara of Inge Jabara Landscapes and long-time Hanging Basket Competition participant, offers the below advice to everyone looking to compete in 2024.

We’re thrilled to announce the return of the Hanging Basket Competition for 2024! We eagerly anticipate the creative ideas you’ll bring to the table. Whether you prefer a traditional hanging basket or a more cutting-edge approach utilising modern techniques, technology and accessories, we’re open to all concepts. Use your Hanging Basket as a canvas to showcase your garden inspiration, favourite themes, or simply to have a good time! Ready to elevate your gardening game? Join the competition and let your creativity blossom!

The key criteria used by the judging panel include:

• Scale & proportion
• Plant health & appearance
• Plant maturity
• Creative use of accessories
• Innovative use of the basket and/or accessories
• Overall presentation & wow factor

Conditions of Entry

1. Your basket must include living plants
2. Accessories are encouraged but not mandatory
3. The hanging basket provided by the Show is the only hanging basket permitted for use
4. Your display should not include any live animals or insects

Equipment Collection

All participants will be required to collect their provided equipment from their preferred local nursery of the options listed below. The competition receives significant support from Diaco’s Garden Nursery, Yarra Edge Nursery & All Green Nursery & Garden who have aligned with the Show to have the equipment available for collection. The teams at all nurseries will be there to help participants with any questions that may have when they start planning their masterpiece.

• Yarra Edge Nursery
• All Green Nursery & Garden Hoppers Crossing
• All Green Nursery & Garden Epping (note – this location does not have a nursery for plant purchases)
• Diaco’s Garden Nursery Heatherton
• Diaco’s Garden Nursery Keilor
• Diaco’s Garden Nursery Geelong
• Diaco’s Garden Nursery Mornington

EXCLUSIVE PARTICIPANT OFFERS – All participants will be eligible to receive the below discounts at their preferred collection location:

• Diaco’s Garden Nursery – 10% off any additional purchases at all Diaco’s Garden Nursery locations when collecting the competition equipment
• All Green Nursery & Garden – 10% off any plant purchases at all All Green locations when collecting the competition equipment
• Yarra Edge Nursery – 10% off any plant purchases at Yarra Edge Nursery when collecting the competition equipment

All participants will need to select their preferred pick-up collection when submitting their application.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? CHECK IN HERE FIRST FOR SOME FAQs!

Inspiration

Need some inspiration for your basket? The below images are entries from previous Shows.

PLEASE NOTE – NO EQUIPMENT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO COLLECT EARLIER THAN 12th DECEMBER 2023. YOU WILL BE ADVISED, AFTER APPLYING, ONCE YOUR EQUIPMENT IS AVAILABLE.