Entries now open for The 2021 Chronicle Garden Competition

Here's everything you need to know about this year’s Toowoomba Chronicle Garden Competition, including how to enter.

NEW BLOOMS: Kellie Gersekowski from Crow’s Nest said she can’t wait to enter The Chronicle Garden Competition for the first time. Picture: Bev Lacey

Toowoomba's award winning gardeners are busy preparing their gardens for the 2021 Toowoomba Chronicle Garden competition. Have you got your entiry in yet?

It’s finally time to don your gardening gloves and dig out your trusty trowel, The 72nd Toowoomba Chronicle Garden Competition is back up and running with entries now open.

The Chronicle and Toowoomba Regional Council have partnered up to deliver this year’s competition, streamlining the number of categories to ensure the future of the competition for many years to come.

Entry forms are available in print in The Chronicle. You can also click here to download the information pack. Fill the form out and send a digital copy to [e-mail].

Toowoomba Chronicle general manager Erika Brayshaw said The Chronicle was excited to see the return of the garden competition after COVID-19 forced the event to go virtual last year.

At the launch of The Chronicle Garden Competition for 2021 (from left) The Toowoomba Chronicle general manager Erika Brayshaw, competition entrant liaison Mike Wells and The Carnival of Flowers event co-ordinator from Toowoomba Regional Council, Kate Scott. Picture: Bev Lacey

“It’s wonderful to see the return of the Toowoomba Chronicle Garden Competition, this is a local legacy the Chronicle have been honoured to own and run over seven decades now,” she said.

“This year we really wanted to focus on ways we could future-proof the competition so that it can be around for the 100th anniversary so there were some changes that had to be made but we’re hoping this will allow for more gardeners than ever to get involved and showcase their magnificent gardens in time for the Carnival of Flowers in September.”

Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers event coordinator, Kate Scott said TRC was looking forward to being a part of this year’s Garden Competition.

“This year we’ve decided to cut back on the number of categories but there’s still plenty of options for gardeners with gardens of all shapes, sizes and styles to enter,” she said.

“We’ve also decided to change the name of the ‘country garden’ category to ‘regional’ in order for visitors to better understand the scope and distance of the gardens they are planning to drive out to see.”

Launch of The Chronicle, TRTC garden competition for 2021. entering the competition for the first time,

First time entrant, Kellie Gersekowski from Crows Nest said she was looking forward to encouraging more young gardeners from across the Darling Downs to get involved.

“As daunting as it can be entering a competition with gardeners who have decades of experience over me, I’m looking forward to continuing the garden competition legacy,” she said.

“Like everything these days if more young gardeners don’t get involved the competition will cease to exist so it’s important more young families and couples continue to get involved and enter so we can carry on the tradition for another 70 years.”

Experienced Pittsworth couple and former Grand Champion gardeners, Gay and David Kearey said they were ecstatic to see the return of the Garden Competition.

At 79 years old, Mrs Kearey said gardening is her secret weapon to staying active and had been entering a range of competitions for 35 years, and with over 300 roses, she’s kept very active indeed.

Gay and David Kearey at the official launch of The 2021 Chronicle Garden Competition. Picture: Bev Lacey

“We entered our first Chronicle Gardening Cometition back in the mid 1970s when we lived at Brookstead as a cathartic way to heal after losing our eight-year-old daughter.

“Both David and I found gardening very peaceful and was a nice way for us to remember her as she loved spending time in the garden with us.”

Mr and Mrs Kearey said they recently had over 750 people come through their garden as part of the Showcasing Pittsworth weekend last month.

“It’s always an honour to show off our garden and have people come from all over to see your hard work so we are looking forward to opening our garden up again for The Chronicle Competition,” Mrs Kearey said.

“We have decided to opt out of planting annuals this year as they unfortunately do require quite a bit of water and with the restrictions we’re on right now it just won’t be possible, plus we’ve managed to get a lot of colour into our garden without them.”

The Chronicle Garden Competition 2021 entry form.

Mrs Scott did mention the council would be extending watering restrictions for entrants, allowing an additional two hours of watering from 7am-9am each morning.
These water concessions will only be available to competition entrants during the competition period and permits must be applied for through TRC by contacting event support officer Courtney Masters below or by calling the TRC customer service number on 131 872.

This year’s Garden Competition entrant liaison is Mike Wells from Wellsley Horticulture and can be contacted on 0427 821 478 regarding any questions to do with the competition.

Likewise, Ms Masters is also available to assist gardeners with any of their concerns via email at [e-mail] or by calling 07 4688 6661.

Keep an eye in next week’s paper for entry forms which need to be completed and emailed to:

[e-mail] or posted into:

The Chronicle Garden Competition, c/- Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers,

PO Box 3021, Toowoomba, QLD 4350

The dates for this year’s competition are as follows:

Applications

Open: May 14

Close: August 13

Judging Days

From August 30 – September 3

Gardens opening times and dates

Friday, September 17 – Sunday, September 19 from 9am-5pm

Friday, September 24 – Sunday, September 26 from 9am -5pm