Mews in Bloom 2021 – Judging Urban Mews Gardens

This year’s winner of Mews in Bloom, the annual competition organised by Lurot Brand is Bathurst Mews. This urban beauty of a garden in W2 was judged by a panel of creative and horticultural experts – Alison Condie, Tony Heywood, and Robert Mann. A big well done to all the hardworking and talented mews residents and many thanks to our brilliant judges.

This year, after the challenges that the pandemic brought to people, communities and daily life, the annual Mews in Bloom event, organised by mews specialists Lurot Brand, was especially poignant. For residents, friends and families, it celebrated the importance of having access to communal outdoor space, in the heart of London’s traditional mews.

As planned, on the 28^th September, the renowned judges visited five shortlisted mews across central London – Bathurst Mews and Hyde Park Mews W2, Elnathan Mews W9, Scampston Mews W10 and Kynnace Mews SW7. They spent several enjoyable hours wandering around exploring and examining planting in each mews’ garden space, assessing the overall design and considering the look and feel that the different mews residents had created with such enthusiasm and care.

The year’s competition’s expert judging panel included Robert Mann, a London based regenerative and environmentally inspired gardener, and Tony Heywood and Alison Condie, who collectively as Heywood and Condie, are renowned for what they call ‘horticultural installation art’ and are Fellows of the Royal Society of Sculptors. Tony Heywood is Head Gardener on The Hyde Park Estate, a professor of Landscape Art at The University of Applied Art Vienna and a judge at the Chelsea and Hampton Court Flower Shows was Professor of Landscape Art at Vienna University of the Art. Alison Condie is a recognised UK contemporary artist in her own right. Both share a passion for finding new ways of engaging with and representing landscape and nature.

The judges were united in their praise for the finalists and commented: “Every year the imagination, creativity and love that mews residents display with their glorious garden entries in the Mews in Bloom competition organised by mews specialists, Lurot Brand, captivates the expert judging panel.”

All three expert judges agreed that Bathurst Mews deserved to be the overall winner. Residents will receive a cast bronze plaque to be mounted on display in their mews. They will also have £1000 donated on their behalf to the charity they choose from these four: urbangrowth.london, greenfingerscharity.org.uk, culpeper.org.uk, thrive.org.uk.

Judge, Robert Mann summed up what stood out for him about Bathurst Mews: “Bathurst Mews is truly beautiful garden, which uses the structures of urban living to create a green oasis where nature and people coexist in harmony.”

For judges, Tony Heywood and Alison Condie, it was, ‘the adventurous spirit style and depth of planting in Bathurst Mews, rather than the use of containers, that resulted in a rich species mix, longevity of seasonal planting and the overall verdant green aesthetic,’ that caught their expert eyes.

The four runners up: Elnathan Mews, Hyde Park Gardens Mews, Kynance Mews and Scampston Mews also made a positive first impression with the three judges, who commented on each individual garden and were struck by, ‘the mature and impactful planting, the wonderful maintenance of all five mews, the imaginative use of vertical space and nice use of balconies for colourful planting displays, and the commitment to attracting wildlife and ‘greening’ credentials.’ All four runners-up will receive a cast iron plaque to commemorate their success and place on show in the mews.

Chairman, Antoine Lurot said: “We are delighted that this established and popular mews community event could happen this year and our sincere thanks to all who took part and to our judges for their time and vast knowledge. Now, more than ever, we are so grateful as mews residents to have outside space that provides such a green oasis of daily calm and happiness.”

Find more about this year’s judges:

Robert Mann’s gardening work on Instagram @robertmanngarden. 

Tony Heywood and Alison Condie www.heywoodandcondie.com