Winners, guests and the army of volunteers who make it possible, were welcomed to the 10th Anniversary Hook In Bloom 2026 Presentation of prizes. It was a highlight of this year’s Hook Flower & Produce Show on Sunday 13th September in Hook’s Elizabeth Hall.
HVH Chairman David Saunderson opened the presentation by explaining the unenviable task Hook In Bloom volunteer judges have deciding the winners of the competition each year, and it certainly wasn’t easy this year because the hosepipe bans quickly followed the closing date. Having received entries, tip offs from villagers and scouting Hooks 4,000 plus residences as best they could, judging took place. That’s why one of the criteria which helps enormously is that gardens and baskets must be easily seen by passers by
It’s hard to judge gardens and baskets that are so different and everyone’s tastes differ. This year there were ‘new kids on the block’ winning prizes, so it was rewarding to see so many people wanting to win a Hook In Bloom accolade for their gardening feats.
David congratulated the gardeners of Hook and thanked the sponsors, especially Robert Stocchetti, manager of Hook’s Bridges Estate Agents manager, who also gave out prizes. Bridges undertake most of the printing and help financially by paying for advertising space, the Hook Flower & Produce Show leaflet to be designed, printed and to appear on the back of the HVH booklet, the design of the Hook In Bloom competition leaflet, signage, sponsor prizes and are always there to act as a drop off point for villagers to get items to Hook In Bloom.
Former County Councillor Jonathan Glen, who has been a great supporter of Hook In Bloom from day one was also thanked for his decade of support.
National sponsors, de Jager bulbs were also acknowledged as they sponsor the vouchers for all the categories and give Hook In Bloom massive discounts on their top-quality bulbs.
David also thanked the volunteers who make the competition and the Flower and Produce Show possible (by investing their time throughout the year), everyone who entered the competition, the show and who help out in so many ways with Hook In Bloom generally from bulbs to plants to poppies.
David finished on an upbeat note by saying this year’s display around the village had been superb, as planting the troughs and keeping the bulbs watered is no mean feat and the hanging basket displays the Parish Council started providing when Hook In Bloom got underway, had been exceptional this year, despite the weather.
The Winners of Hook In Bloom 2026 were:
Bridges Estate Agency Trophy for the Most Attractive Front Garden
Winner Andrew Rees – Wayside Cottage, Newnham Road
Wayside Cottage was the judges’ choice to be this year’s winners. Even if you buy packets of wildflower mixes, the In Bloom volunteers do, it is extremely hard to achieve what they accomplished this year, especially with the unpredictable weather we have experienced.
Highly Commended – Eve & Steve Kirk – Highfield Cottage, Morris Street
The Batten Trophy for the Best Residential Hanging Basket
Winner – Debbie Darley, Aspen Gardens
The judges took a wrong turning and low and behold spied Debbie’s lovely baskets and it was a job to choice which was the best.
Highly Commended – Paula Mitten – Somerton, Elms Road. Again spied on the scout around.
The Hook Parish Council Trophy for the Most Attractive Business Premises
Winners – St. Michael’s Hospice Shop. Again volunteers have done a wonderful job and we understand they have raised the money for both the troughs and the plants this year. Well done all.
The Worlock Trophy for the Best Hotel, Restaurant or Pub
Winners – The Hogget. We were caught taking photos and this year family members have planted all the troughs and baskets, Brilliant result.
Runners Up – The White Hart. They are making our village proud and were only just pipped to the post.
Hook In Bloom Community Trophy
Winners – The Residents of Berry Court. You could see their first bed from the Reading Road, which confirmed they had planted up again to provide a floral feat to greet you.
Hook Cross Trophy for the Best Allotment
Winner – Darren Nicholls – Plots 46c & 47a/b – Darren’s plot was immaculate. The vegetables are planted regimental straight and don’t dare stray out of line. His poly-tunnel was jam packed with produce the whole year round and woe betide any weeds that venture onto his plot.
Best Newcomers at Hook Allotment – Natalia Korycheva – Plot 51a who had worked extremely hard to bring her plot to a good stand in record time.
Special Mentions from the allotment judges were for Lorrel & Peter – Plot 27c. The allotment judges said that theirs was ‘Always a lovely plot, growing unusual produce’ and this had always been the case since the allotments begun.
In Bloom would also like to add a special thank you from all the Hook In Bloom team to Lorrel and Peter. They were involved with the allotments when we all started out, they helped with the fundraising, they have been heavily involved with Hook In Bloom and still they sponsor and look after the Hook sign trough on the A30 near The Hogget. That is not an easy trough, and they decide on what plants should be planted and then look after it. Thank you both for all you still do and have done.
Janet Chatt Plots 12c/d & 5b
Always marvellous plots to walk past and admire. Janet has also won the allotments trophy in the past.
Village Hall Chaiman David Saunderson, when introducing the winners of the Hook in Bloom competition, explained how judging Hook In Bloom gets harder every year. First the judges have to try to decide the best time to judge, given a slow start to summer, drought and heatwave meaning what will the gardens be like? They go out and judge, having received entries and been tipped off by various means who villagers think are worthy of entry, plus going on a really good tour of the village too. Then weeks later, they see a garden or a hanging basket that suddenly is really blooming but wasn’t noticed before. Then the weeds, one week there are none, then the next with all the rain and humid weather we get, they are taking over again.
Luckily Hook folk come to the rescue with super blooming gardens and baskets and you can see the clear winners. Next year with the re-painting of the new White Hart and the new owners of the Crooked Billet settled in, perhaps The Hogget will have some competition. This year, however, The Hogget has looked really fantastic, even better than last year, and a clear winner.
In his thank you speech, the Chairman of Hook Village Halls, David Saunderson, thanked all the people who took part and visited the show, all the dedicated volunteers involved in Hook in Bloom and Hook Allotments, who turn out in support and help to make the initiative such a success and Maggie Kirtley, the Show Secretary, who keeps the actual exhibitor entry part of the show meticulously organised.
“The winners this year have achieved a great deal. So very well done to the gardeners of Hook”.
Hook In Bloom is very lucky to have some major supporters. Firstly Kevin Winchester, manager of Bridges Estate Agents who undertake most of the printing and help financially to get the word out advertising on the back of the HVH booklet, pay for the Show leaflet to be designed and hand delivered to every household in the village, pay for signage, sponsor prizes and are always there to act as a drop off point for villagers to get items to Hook in Bloom.
Other tremendous supporters are Hook Village Halls, Hook Allotments Association, de Jager bulbs, Jonathan Glen through his Hampshire County Council devolved budget and Hook Parish Council.
Hook in Bloom’s national sponsor, de Jager bulbs, give vouchers for the categories along with wholesale discounts when Hook In Bloom buy their top quality bulbs. This year de Jager bulbs will be planted in the churchyard, the cubs will be planting them in the Elizabeth Hall grounds, there will be replacements for village troughs, troughs in the railway station and hopefully in the grass areas in the Griffin Road roundabout. HiB also get wildflower, Pictorial Mix, from de Jager which is used in the Fish and Chip and Bugdens beds, because nothing else seems to grow there. They have ordered plenty of Pictorial Mix so hopefully will also trial it in the churchyard.
