Allotments

Exemplary Plot of the Year – the national competition of the Polish Allotment Federation - 22.01.2016

Every Year The Polish Allotment Federation (the PZD) announces two nationwide competitions, the "Family Allotment Garden of the Year" and the "Exemplary Plot of the Year". Individual allotment gardeners can take part in the "Exemplary Plot of the Year" competition and present the beauty, development and organic crops on their plots.

This competition is a permanent fixture in the calendar of the PZD. Allotment gardeners especially appreciate the participation in it, and have a huge recognition and respect for the winners. The best allotment gardeners win without a doubt, their plots are - as stated in the name of the competition – an exemplar for other allotment gardeners.

What is evaluated?

The participating plots are judged in several categories:

• The arrangement of the plot (overall evaluation, rational use of land)
•  The aesthetics of the plot (order, fences and equipment on the plot comply with the family allotment garden’s rules)
• Lawn and its maintenance
• Part ornately-area (e.g. including a wide selection of ornamental plants, equipment for rest and recreation)
• The production part of the plot (e.g. orchard part- a variety of fruit trees and shrubs, planting in compliance within the boundaries of the plot, the correct molding, cutting and screening of crowns, health; and vegetable part - a rich selection of kinds of vegetables, including herbs)
• Small architecture on the plot (e.g. fences, walls, trellises, pergolas, ponds and reservoirs and other elements of small architecture)
• Aesthetics and the technical condition of the sheds (dimensions sheds and its technical condition in accordance with the ROD’s rules, the use of the shed in accordance with the ROD’s rules and aesthetics shed)
• Having the plot composter and the use of it
• Ecology on the plot (nesting boxes, bird feeders, organic plant protection treatments, the use of natural fertilizers)

Prizes

In each category allotment gardeners receive points. Their sum determines the outcome. The Presidium of the National Council of the PZD selects from the participants eight winners who receive prizes with a value of 1000 zl. In addition five plots are awarded whose holders receive prizes worth 500 zl. What's more, all of the allotment gardeners whose plots take part in the competition will receive diplomas, as well as an annual subscription to the monthly "Allotment Gardener" and the PZD’s publications.

The competition results are announced officially during the National Day of the Allotment Gardener.

The PZD - all for gardeners and gardens

The national PZD’s competition "Exemplary plot of the Year" is another of the PZD’s ways concerning the activation of allotment gardeners, but also PZD appreciation of the work that they put in caring for their plots. This healthy rivalry between allotment gardeners becomes part of the beautification of family allotment gardens. Thanks to such competitions every month allotment gardens look better and better because it is decorated not only by beautiful part of the common garden, but also individual plots.

Allotment gardeners put their heart and a lot of efforts in taking care of their plots throughout the year. For this purpose, they occupy their plot with rare species of plants, trees and shrubs and constantly modernize their sheds. Fabulous plant compositions and floral carpets that can be found on the plots are the result of their ingenuity, and not the result of projects carried out by landscape architects. This is because the competition "Exemplary Plot of the Year" encourages allotment gardeners to look for new solutions and gardening innovations which mostly derive from PZD’s magazines such as "Allotment Gardener" or "My garden".

Importantly, on every step the Polish Allotment Federation (the PZD ) supports the work of allotment gardeners by providing them with expert advice and specialist horticultural literature, which can be found in garden libraries. The competition "Exemplary Plot of the Year" next to the "Family Allotment Garden of the Year" is another great initiative of the PZD which tries the best it can to serve all allotment gardeners to effectively develop gardening plots in Poland.

 

The author and translator: Agnieszka Drążek

Media Department in the Polish Allotment Gardens Federation

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