Sydney Hills Gardening Competition 2023-

An Orange Blossom Event

Awards Event and Results

The first Garden competition ran in 1959 as the brainchild of Councillor Eric Mobbs. It became the forerunner of the Orange Blossom Festival, so has a significant place in the cultural history of “The Garden Shire” and continues to be supported by The Hills Shire Council as part of that Festival.

Thank you to all the gardeners who entered this year`s competition and to our judges and sponsors without whom the competition would not happen.  

 The culmination of the competition was the Awards Presentation night held at the Harvey Lowe Pavilion, Castle Hill Showground on the 22nd September. This event was well attended by over 100  entrants, supporters, dignitaries, judges and the organisers. We thank the Hon Mark Hodges MP member for Castle Hill, The Hills Mayor Dr Peter Gangemi and Hills Shire Deputy Mayor Mitchell Blue for attending the event and their remarks and their assistance with the Prize giving. We also thank our judges, Ross Miller and Chris Brown for not only judging the competition but giving us their insights into their impressions of the gardens.   

Awards were presented to the first three place-getters in each category and these are detailed in the results summary below. Following this two special awards were presented being: 

George Mobbs Award for Excellence in Gardening-  Danuta Szczypior(presented by George Mobbs grand-daughter, Felicity McCaffrey))

Champion of Champions-  Paul and Margaret Gaudry Presented by  Ross Miller)

Other Results:

At the conclusion of the presentations  a  light supper was provided by the Inner Wheel Clubs of Baulkham Hills and Norwest, and we would thank the ladies from those Clubs for their efforts. This also provided a good opportunity for all those present to meet with old friends and new.

Our thanks to the generous sponsors of the event, including The Hills Shire Council, Plants Plus Nursery, West Pennant Hills. 

  The Rotary Club of the Hills-Kellyville has had a long association with gardeners in The Hills, having run the Garden Competition since early 2000’s and the Hills Open Gardens. The Club proudly opened a Community Garden in March 2021 to mark the 100th year of Rotary in Australia. All the garden plots were quickly snapped up by keen gardeners and planting began. Within weeks it became a vegetable oasis amidst apartment blocks right in the centre of Baulkham Hills. The Rotary Club of the Hills-Kellyville established and built this garden for the community in conjunction with the Hills Shire Council. Other works of the Club include local community events and the raising of funds for numerous programs far and wide, from the Hills area to outback Australia to overseas communities with specific needs. To be part of an inspired group that are making a difference, contact the club through this website or Facebook page.