The Chronicle Garden Competition FAQs

Nothing about the competition is changing. We’re excited to take ownership of this event and retain everything that makes it so special.

Collect optional community donations at garden entries, undertake sponsorship support and partake in THF-led fundraising activities during the event in support of our Regional Cancer Centre.

Learn more about the Regional Cancer Centre here


If you would like to discuss other fundraising opportunities with our team, please phone (07) 4616 6166 or email admin@toowoombahospitalfoundation.org.au

Our Commercial/Not for Profit/Schools judge for 2025 is Mr Duanne Karle and our City/Regional Residential judge for 2025 is Mr John Daly.

Call or email Mike Wells, our garden competition liaison. He will organise a time to visit and discuss your options.

Call 0427 821 478 Contact Us

No, entry to the Competition is free.

You can enter online here.

For 2025, you may enter either the City or Regional sections (boundary map available here), one Class (based on property size and location), and two options (select from 9 on offer).

Every year we carefully select and engage a residential section garden judge who has high quality horticultural credentials and extensive experience, and who we believe can judge your gardens objectively based on the judging criteria (available on request).

Judging will commence on 1 September 2025. You will be advised of your anticipated judging day and time soon after entries close (days and times may change, but you will be given as much forward notice as possible). Someone will need to be present when judging occurs - the nominated entrant is preferrable. For 2025, judging will take place from the 1st September to the 5th September.

Most gardens will be scheduled for a 15 to 30 minute visit, depending on size. On arrival, the judge will commence their assessment immediately after being introduced to the garden owner. You may then be required for a few official photos and/or a video (for the Visitor’s Guide, newspaper and Presentation ceremony). If there is free time, you may chat to the judge after they have completed their assessment. Please remember the judge will be on a strict time schedule to visit all gardens on that day.

Winner and placegetters are announced at the official Presentation ceremony, usually held on the Thursday before the 10-day opening period. For 2025, this will be Thursday 18th September.

Gardens are opened the day after the Presentation ceremony (in 2025, this is Friday 19th September). Most gardeners choose to open for the traditional 10 days (Friday to Sunday week), however, for those who choose to do so, they have the option to open for two long weekends (Fri-Sun). In 2025 the 10 day period would be from the 19th Sept to 28th Sept, with the two long weekend dates being 19th to 21st Sept, and 26th to 28th Sept. All gardens are required to open at 9am and close by 5pm.

As this is one of the main attractions to the Toowoomba Region during the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers, you can expect to have hundreds, and maybe, several thousand, visitors over your opening days. This will probably depend on whether you have won a major prize, or are a placegetter in your Class and/or options.

Things to consider:

• Access and traffic flow – preferably, have separate entry and exit points that are well marked – this will help visitors to “flow” through the garden. A single entry/exit can become a choke point when visitor numbers are high. Small directional signs in the garden are also helpful to keep visitors moving in one direction and avoiding traffic jams.

• Safety for visitors – as gardens can take on all shapes, sizes and levels, there may be some spots that could be regarded as unsafe for visitors.  As the garden owner, it is your responsibility to ensure all areas accessed by visitors are safe to do so.
  
  Some things to consider:

  • Put away all tools, implements, hoses, ladders etc., before the garden opens.
  • Ensure plants are trimmed back from walkways – particularly those with thorns or spiky foliage. Remember to cater for all shapes, sizes and heights of your visitors! Remove moss and algae from shaded pathways as these can become slippery in wet conditions.
  • Use barriers, ropes and signage to keep visitors out of certain areas of concern (e.g. work areas, under houses, entertainment areas), and (if you wish to do so) stairs, retaining walls, furniture and children’s play equipment.
    
    
• Mobility - carefully assess if your garden is suitable for those in wheelchairs and with limited mobility – and indicate this on your entry form.
• Coach/bus access – is your street suitable for coaches/buses to park and manoeuvre/turn around? Is there sufficient width for cars and buses to park on both sides of the street? Indicate this on your entry form.
• Ensure a knowledgeable person is present in the garden at all times – ideally this will be the garden owner. They’ll need to answer many questions about plants and many other gardening topics!
• Security – make sure all doors to your home and garage/shed are locked at all times, and that any “attractive and portable” items that are not part of the garden display are put away or secured. Some visitors may wish to “sample” your garden plants (remove flowers/cuttings/slips) so be aware that any easily accessible plants may lose some bits!
• Plan some down time – being in your garden for 8 hours a day can be tiring – if possible, ask a partner/spouse/relative/friend to attend for an hour or two each day to allow for a cuppa and some lunch for you!