Appleton Lodge care home in Stockport has been named the overall winner of HC-One’s annual Gardens in Bloom competition.
The competition saw over 50 HC-One care homes across the country compete, with this year’s winner hand-picked by special guest judge Rachel de Thame, who is a much-loved and celebrated green thumbed gardener, television presenter and actress.
Appleton Lodge was awarded a hamper filled with gardening related gifts for residents to enjoy, along with a £300 voucher from HC-One supplier Real Trade Supplies. The home’s winning garden featured a sensational array of flowers, plants, and vegetables, along with a sunflower-growing competition.
Gardening is encouraged at HC-One care homes for its numerous benefits, from promoting wellbeing to building connections with the local community. This year, homes were free to be as creative as they liked, designing spaces that included flower beds, vegetable patches, sensory gardens, and bug hotels to support local wildlife.
Five regional winners were also recognised, with homes from up and down the country receiving hampers of garden-related goodies.
The other regional finalists of this year’s Gardens in Bloom competition were:
• Scotland:
The Beeches care home in Dunfermline
• North East:
Victoria House care home in Stockton-on-Tees
• Midlands:
Lime Trees care home in Shrewsbury
• South:
Adelaide House care home in Walton-on-Thames
• Bonus Bloom:
Kirkwood Court care home in Newcastle
Rachel praised the creativity and effort of the entrants, noting how much she enjoyed reviewing the gardens. She said: “There was such a high volume and standard of entries. Thank you to everyone who participated.”
Kay Eadsforth, Home Manager at Appleton Lodge Care Home said: “We are delighted to have been chosen by Rachel as the overall winner of this year’s Gardens in Bloom competition. Our colleagues and residents thoroughly enjoyed transforming our garden area and I’m delighted to see their hard work to enhance the outdoor areas of our care home for visitors and our residents to enjoy all year round has been recognised.”
Julian Barsi, Director at Real Trade Supplies, added: “We’re delighted to have supported this event and congratulate the winner. There is a great trading relationship between Real Trade Supplies and HC-One care homes.”