Clerkenwell is Islington in Bloom's best neighbourhood for 2026 and Corbyn Street its best street, from nearly 300 entries. The group and school winners.
Clerkenwell has been named the best neighbourhood in Islington in Bloom 2026, and Corbyn Street the best street. The winners of the borough’s gardening competition were announced at the Charterhouse on Monday evening.
Nearly 300 entries were judged this year, and about 150 people came to the ceremony. The competition is run by Islington Council and the volunteer group Islington Gardeners, and it has now been going for 23 years (Islington Council).
It was a hard year to garden in. Dorothy Boswell of Islington Gardeners said: “The drought and hosepipe ban have been a real challenge for gardeners this year. Climate change means we all have to change the way we garden and the plants we choose.”
The winners
The council has published the full list of placings on its Islington in Bloom page. These are the categories won by schools, community groups, estates, streets and businesses.
| Category | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best community garden | Whittington Park Community Centre | Sunnyside Community Garden | Culpeper Community Garden |
| Best park | Caledonian Park Friends Group | Friends of St John's Garden | Barnard Park |
| Best estate | Thornhill Houses Communal Garden | Greenman St Estate Community Garden | Montague Court |
| Best street | Corbyn Street | Thornhill Living School Street | Harberton Road |
| Best edible garden | Friends of Fortune Street Park | Samford House Allotments | Olden Community Garden |
| Best children's planting | Willow Children's Centre | St Mark's CE Primary School | Tufnell Park Primary School |
| Best blooming business | Quentin Blake Centre of Illustration | The North London Spiritualist Church | Rotunda Bar and Restaurant |
Three special awards were also made:
- Best neighbourhood: Clerkenwell
- Nancy Pattenden Wildlife Award: the Clerkenwell Pollinator Path
- Community Impact Award: the food waste upcycling project run by the Mildmay Community Food Project and the Octopus Community Plant Nursery
The remaining six categories are best window box, balcony, tree pit, front garden, container garden and hidden gem. Most of those places went to individual residents, who are named on the council’s page. Two did not: Andromeda Garden, Second Chance, won best container garden, and the Finsbury Park Trust came third for best hidden gem.
For Sunnyside Community Garden in N19, second place comes in the same season that officers backed a permanent building to replace the shipping container it has worked from since 2013. We reported on that application in August.
What the judges look for
Islington in Bloom is not judged on neat lawns and hanging baskets. The council says it wants to reward gardening that works in one of London’s most densely populated boroughs, with the least green space. Its judges look for:
- plants that tolerate dry conditions, and perennials rather than annual bedding
- rainwater collection, and mulch to hold in moisture and keep weeds down
- recycled or upcycled materials
- food and shelter for wildlife, such as a bird box, bug hotel, log pile or small pond
- year-round interest and a good mix of plants
- edible plants, such as herbs, fruit and vegetables
Every entry is scored and receives an award band as well as any placing:
| Award | Score |
|---|---|
| Gold | 85% and over |
| Silver gilt | 75% to 84% |
| Silver | 60% to 74% |
| Bronze | 50% to 59% |
| Certificate of merit | Under 50% |
The judges are volunteers from Islington Gardeners, the local community and the council’s own staff (Islington Council).
What it means for you
You do not need a garden to enter. A window box, a balcony or the tree pit outside your door all have their own category. You can also nominate somebody else’s planting that you admire.
Watch for entries next spring. This year the deadline was 11.59pm on Friday 6 June, through the council’s online form. The council has not yet published the 2027 dates. You will need two photos that show the whole entry rather than close-ups of single plants. For a window box or balcony, include a view from the street.
The competition wants more judges. If you would like to help judge next year, the council asks you to email inbloom@islington.gov.uk.
If you want to garden without entering, the council points residents towards volunteering in their local park or adopting a tree pit. Our guide to things to do in Islington lists the borough’s parks and green spaces.
The ceremony
The awards were held in the Great Chamber at the Charterhouse, a room created in the 1540s. The council says it is where Elizabeth I met her privy council in the days before her coronation.
Cllr Rowena Champion, the council’s executive member for climate, environment and transport, said it was “fantastic to see so many entries, especially after the very hot weather this year”. She added: “It is also a reminder that we need to adapt to the changing climate and make our gardens and green spaces more resilient by managing resources like soil and water.”
The Charterhouse is listed as a sponsor, and 14 others backed individual categories. They included Camden Garden Centre, Angel Central, the National Trust, the Islington Society and N1 Garden Centre.
Sources
- Islington Council press release, 30 September 2026: the ceremony, attendance, entry numbers, the headline winners and both quotes. Photographs from the council’s media library for the release.
- Islington Council: Islington in Bloom: the full list of 2026 placings, the special awards, the judging criteria and award bands, how to enter, and the sponsors.
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