The Teapot Plant Pot Competition

NEW for 2019! The Teapot Plant Pot Competition is a gardening competition inviting Early Years nurseries, pre-school settings and reception classes. It runs alongside the popular annual Schools’ Wheelbarrow competition which invites local infants, junior and senior schools to participate.

This competition is a simple and fun gardening activity devised to complement the EYFS Statutory Framework. As well as the planting activity, the children will need to nurture and care for their plants for them to grow and thrive in their containers. As part of the competition the Early Years leaders and Reception Year teachers are to offer up their Teapot Plant Pots with residents of a local elderly or care home. The topic of gardening continues to span the generations.

With the plant potted up in the teapot, the children will need to take care of their plants, ensuring they have enough water and light to grow.  Unlike regular containers, teapots don’t have drainage holes - a good rule of thumb is to stick your finger a couple of centimetres into the surface of the compost and, if it feels dry, it’s time to water.  Plants dislike being waterlogged just as much as being thirsty, so remember to check frequently, adding just a little water at a time. 

EYFS leaders should identify a local care home and arrange for the children to visit, offering their Teapot Plant Pots as gifts. Photographs should be taken throughout the activity, from start to finish, to be sent to the BBC Gardeners’ World Live team as part of the entry process.

Please complete and return the application form to BBC Gardeners’ World Live by 1 M arch 2019 to confirm participation.

The growing and potting can take place any time, but the activity should be completed for your photographs to be submitted, with a cover letter, by 15 May 2019. These should be good quality digital .jpg files, individual shots or arranged into a montage depicting the planting, nurturing and giving of the Teapot Plant pots. All completed entries will receive two pairs of Show tickets (valid any one day except Saturday) which could be used for a preschool/nursery/school fundraiser if desired.

Judging criteria

• Plant selection. Are the plants chosen suitable for growing in a container? What will happen if the plants are left in the pot for the summer? Are the plants too tall or likely to be overtaken by one dominant plant?
• Plant health. Are there signs of pests and diseases? Do the plants look over/under watered?
• Creativity. Is there a breadth of educational interest offered by the display? Does the display look aesthetically appealing? Are there unique features, maybe props or individual hand painting of the teapot?
• Photo record. How comprehensive is the story of the ‘journey’? How much work has been carried out by adults as opposed to children?

A panel will judge the photographic entries with winners announced by 24 May 2019.

A selection of the best photographs will be displayed in the Floral Marquee at BBC Gardeners’ World Live 2019. The EYFS teams winning first and second prizes will be invited to the Show on Sunday 16 June to receive their prize. (It can alternatively be delivered after the Show).

Please get in touch with any queries as we’re here to help. Contact Louise on 07894 409 643/ louise.jackson@riverstreetevents.co.uk or the Show team in the office on 020 3405 4282.

GOOD LUCK! We hope you enjoy growing together.

• Perhaps the teapot is intended to be decorative and evoke memory so perhaps heartsease (tiny pansies) or trailing daisies (Erigeron karvinskianus) might be suitable plants. Alpines are another good choice if the pot is going to be situated outside.
• If an edible theme is chosen, then perhaps an alpine strawberry with some creeping thyme could be planted.
   
• Fleshy-leafed rosette forming plants such as Sempervivum and Aeonium will delight young and old. Planted outside in gritty, free-draining compost, they grow quickly and require little maintenance, just a little water now and again.
   
• A thrifty green-fingered option could be to take your own cuttings from a Pelargonium type geranium, especially those with lemon-scented leaves.  If planted soon and kept indoors they will be in flower in time for the competition.  Pelargoniums can be grown from plug plants from your local garden centre as can brightly-coloured trailing petunias.
   
• The teapot might be destined for a kitchen window sill, in which case herbs such as basil or coriander could fit the bill perfectly.
   

TOP TIP: Plants do grow, so remember to choose plants that won’t ultimately become too large for your teapots!

*Tickets valid any one day except Saturday to BBC Gardeners' World Live 2019.