0°C | Thursday November 13, 2025 
15 July 2025
North Sydney residents are invited to showcase their gardens as entries for the Annual North Sydney Garden Competition are now officially open.
The competition welcomes a wide range of participants, from individuals cultivating herbs on a windowsill or tending to a backyard, to those involved in shared community plots, schools, and community groups. First-time gardeners and apartment dwellers are also encouraged to participate.
Judith Sleijpen, a long-time judge of the competition, expressed her encouragement for all potential entrants, particularly newcomers. “It’s good fun to enter the North Sydney Council Garden Competition! For newcomers, I’d love to hear what inspired you to start your garden. For those with established gardens, I’m always curious about the personal touches you’ve added to reflect your personality – and what brings you the most satisfaction. If you know a neighbour who enjoys gardening, you might like to encourage them to enter the Competition too!”
Winners of the competition will be recognised at the Garden Competition Awards Ceremony, receiving prizes such as gardening tools and other garden-themed rewards, with recognition across various categories.
The competition features categories for both Residential Gardens and Speciality and Community Gardens. Residential Garden categories include Balcony Gardens, Courtyard Gardens, Most Beautiful Garden, and Indoor Gardens. Speciality and Community Garden categories are Children’s Garden, Native Habitat Garden, Edible Garden (for both private and community spaces), the Lex and Ruby Graham Prizes (for individual and group entries), and the Judge’s Special Award.
Entry to the competition is free and open to all local gardeners within the North Sydney LGA. Entrants are permitted to nominate their garden in multiple award categories; however, only one entry is allowed per category and per garden. The deadline for entries is 24 August 2025, with the judging period scheduled from 1 to 12 September 2025. The Awards Ceremony is set to take place on 26 September 2025.