The Regenerative Garden Awards
Welcome
The Regenerative Garden Awards inspire and celebrate people who garden in a way that gives back more than it takes, for wildlife, for the soil, and for our own health and wellbeing.
At the heart of regenerative gardening is healthy, living soil. When we nurture the soil, it nurtures us: the fruit and vegetables we grow are richer in the nutrients our bodies need, while the plants above ground provide food and shelter for bees, birds, hedgehogs and other wildlife.
Inspired by the Wild About Gardens movement, the awards celebrate gardens as sanctuaries for nature and as places that restore us physically and mentally, as individuals and as communities.
The name "Regenerative Garden Awards" reflects our mission: to champion regenerative principles in every garden, so that healthier soil, more wildlife and better food all lead to healthier lives.
Did you know?
Around 25.8 million gardens across Great Britain cover roughly 2.37 million acres. That's 4.6% of the land (RHS State of Gardening Report 2025).
That's a huge amount of land that could help nature recover, tackle climate change and feed us better. When we garden regeneratively, we build healthy, living soil. That soil stores carbon, holds water and grows more nourishing fruit and vegetables. The plants above it clean our air, shelter wildlife and give us calming, restorative places to spend time.
Join us in celebrating gardens that are good for the soil, good for wildlife and good for us. Whether you're an individual, a community group or a business, there's an award level for you. Together, we can create a thriving network of gardens that nurture both people and the planet.
HELP US CREATE A NETWORK OF HEDGEHOG HIGHWAYS
We’ve made Hedgehog access mandatory for every garden award
A simple 13cm gap under your fence joins your garden to the Hedgehog Highway, enabling hedgehogs to roam between gardens to find food and a mate.
“Hedgehog highways are vital for hedgehogs to move through the urban landscape; our gardens can be a haven for them, but only if they can get in.”
Grace Johnson, Hedgehog Street
Hedgehog holes are required at Bronze, Silver and Gold level. If you’d like to learn about hedgehogs and the importance of creating highways, you can read more here:
Primary Objectives of the Awards Scheme
Enhance biodiversity: Encourage people to create gardens that support diverse plant, animal and soil life, reinforcing the ecological balance in our community.
Promote health & wellbeing: Nurture gardens that provide therapeutic spaces, grow nutritious food, and improve soil health, thereby enhancing the physical and mental wellbeing of participants and the wider community.
Community engagement: Build a sense of community through participation in gardening, education, and shared experiences.
Summary of the ‘Regenerative’ Principles and Why they are important
Composting organic/food waste: Builds soil health, recycles nutrients and reduces food waste that might otherwise go to landfill.
Avoiding slug pellets and synthetic chemical sprays: Protects you, your family, wildlife, soil life and pollinators.
Maximising ground cover: Prevents erosion and supports soil microbes.
Planting native plant species: Boosts biodiversity and supports ecosystem resilience.
Including wildlife features: Provides food/shelter/access for local and vulnerable species.
Growing your own produce: Provides you and your family with access to fresher and more nutritious food in a sustainable way.
Rainwater harvesting: Reduces water use and runoff, supporting healthy soil.
Crop rotation/polyculture: Enhances soil fertility and breaks pest cycles.
Peat-free compost: Preserves peatlands and reduces carbon footprint.
Carbon Sequestration: Incorporate biochar into the soil to sequester carbon, improving soil structure and enhancing microbial life.
Sharing produce: Promotes community networks and reduces waste.
Demonstrated biodiversity gains: Shows the garden is actively regenerating.
Community engagement: Spreads regenerative practices and collective impact.
High welfare for animals (if present): Integrates animal and ecosystem health.
How Gardens are Awarded
The Regenerative Garden Awards operate on a self-certifying model, allowing participants to complete a simple online application form. Gardens are assessed based on criteria focused on key regenerative principles, that promote wildlife and biodiversity, sustainability, community involvement, and personal health, particularly regarding nutrition.
Review the Awards criteria and see where your garden currently sits and which award level feels possible for you this year. You can print this downloadable checklist and take a walk around your garden to see what improvements you could make.
Participants can earn certificates at Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels depending on the number of criteria their garden meets. The Awards are open all year, so you can apply anytime. You can even apply every year, should you wish to improve your garden and aim for the next level up (which we hope you will). You can expect to receive your certificate within one week of applying.
Don’t have a garden? No problem! There’s also a category for container gardens, ensuring that everyone can join in!
Turn your garden into a mini climate project
“The very practices that heal our soils will also heal our climate.”
Woody Harrelson, Kiss the Ground
Supported by
Feeling inspired to do more?
Green Earth Plan is all about community action and we can only bring about positive environmental change with your support, either as volunteers or as leaders of projects in your local area.
So if you would like to get involved in any way, shape or form, we can’t wait to hear from you!