Grow your own
NS&I is supporting the RHS Grow Your Own campaign. Previously known as Grow Your Own Veg, the campaign encourages people to grow their own fruit and vegetables and highlights the many similarities between growing and saving.
In a recent NS&I survey* 90% of people said that growing your own was similar to saving, as you need to plan ahead, recognising that in doing so you can benefit from ongoing rewards long after you have planted the first seed.
At www.rhs.org.uk/growyourown you will find all the information, tips and techniques you need to give it a go and by signing up for the monthly e-newsletter available through this website, you can keep up to date with all the latest Grow Your Own news.
Growing gardens today
Winners announced....
Sally Wilding-Webb and the team from Through the Garden Gate were crowned the winners of the public vote in the NS&I Growing Gardens Today competition. Sally was awarded the trophy by gardening personality Carol Klein, on Sunday 14 June at BBC Gardeners’ World Live at the NEC Birmingham.
The first stage of the competition saw three designers awarded a place at the show, and an opportunity to showcase their garden designs which all had a sustainable and modern fruit and vegetable theme. Visitors to the show, which took place from 10 -14 June, were then able to choose their favourite design in a closely fought public vote.
The three selected winners were: Sally Wilding Webb from Devon with ‘Everything in the garden’, TwentyEightDesigns from Bath with ‘Urban Veg’, and Sheila Jean Dearing from Devon with ‘Forest to Fork’.
Sally’s winning garden which was designed to exemplify a place of relaxation, included a pond to encourage wildlife, lavender to welcome bees for pollination and a variety of home grown produce. In the interests of sustainability the garden also made use of recycled waste including vegetable peelings and garden clippings. In addition to winning the NS&I Growing Gardens Today competition ‘Everything in the garden’ was also awarded a Bronze RHS medal at the show.
Sally Wilding-Webb (2nd from left) was presented with her award by Carol Klein
To see how each of the designers got on with the preparations for their gardens you can read their blogs here.
To find out more about the RHS Grown Your Own campaign, visit www.rhs.org.uk/growyourown
*The survey, which questioned people about their growing and savings habits, was carried out by TNS in January 2009 among 1,009 GB adults aged 16+.
Competition winners
View the winners of some of our recent competitions here | 
