Following on from the huge success of the inaugural Scone Palace Garden Fair in 2022, the team behind the annual show is excited to announce a brand-new Garden Design Competition to be run at Scone Palace Garden Fair in June 2023.

The Scottish Garden Design Competition launched this week to find Scotland’s ‘Best Border Plot’ at Scone Palace Garden Fair in June 2023. Aimed at showcasing Scotland’s horticultural talent, the competition is open to anyone with a love of gardening: from weekend hobbyist to professional gardener, modern social media star to old school allotmenteer, garden societies and charities looking to convey a message, garden designers showcasing their skill, or horticultural students at the start of their career.

Potential designers will be asked to submit on an A3 page a short written story on the ideas behind the design, a sketch of how the applicant wishes their planting scheme to look, and a list giving an idea of the kind of plants to be included.

The theme of the design for the 2.4m x 2.4m, or 4.8m x 1.2m, plot is of the applicant’s choosing, and could showcase growing vegetables or herbs in a small space, a stylish water feature, a children’s sensory garden, a garden planted for pollinators, demonstrate love for perennial plants, or be colour themed. The whole of the gardening world is open for you!

The closing date for entries will be Friday 3rd March 2023, when a panel of judges will choose the successful designs that will go on to be created for show at this year’s Scone Palace Garden Fair. Successful designers will be notified the following week and will be informed of which Scottish nursery or garden centre will be supporting them with their £200 grant.

All designers will have the chance to showcase themselves to the many attendees at Scone Palace Garden Fair, a chance to meet new potential supporters or customers from all over Scotland, and be the winner of one of two Scottish Garden Design Awards: ‘Best Border Plot’ and ‘The People’s Choice’.

This could be your chance to shine with your garden design ideas, what have you got to lose? Get in touch today with sconepalacegardenfair@scone-palace.co.uk to be sent the Competition details.