The Royal Horticultural Society is welcoming nominations for the RHS School Gardeners of the Year 2016 awards. There are great prizes up for grabs, so if your pupils enjoy gardening, then read on!

There are three award categories.

1. RHS Young School Gardener of the Year 2016

You can nominate a young person, aged 5-16, who demonstrates a true passion for gardening and has made an outstanding contribution to their school and local community.

There are four age groups:
Aged 5 – 7 (KS1 or P1 & P2)
Aged 7 – 11 (KS2 or P3 – 6)
Aged 11 – 14 (KS3 or P7 & S1 – 2)
Aged 14 – 16 (KS4 or S3 – 4)

The 16 finalists will receive a digital camera and engraved hand trowels.

Four winners will each receive a set of gardening tools and £250 worth of National Garden Gift vouchers for their school. They will also be invited to a special prize-giving ceremony.

The overall winner, crowned RHS Young School Gardener of the Year 2016, will have the opportunity to spend the day working with RHS gardeners, receive tickets for either Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2017 or RHS Tatton Park Flower Show 2017, and their school will receive an extra £250 in National Garden Gift vouchers – a total of £500.

2. RHS School Gardening Champion of the Year 2016

The School Gardening Champion of the Year award will be given to an adult (teacher, gardening club leader or volunteer) who is an inspiration to the pupils they teach and has shown a passion for encouraging gardening in their school, as well as linking gardening to the curriculum.

The four finalists will receive a digital camera, an engraved trowel, a place on a teacher training course or adult learning course at an RHS garden and £250 in National Garden Gift Vouchers.

The overall winner will be invited to the prize-giving ceremony and will receive a free place on an RHS school gardening training day or adult learning course at an RHS Garden and tickets to a Flower Show. They will also have a visit from a VIP to their school. The winner’s school will receive an extra £250 in National Garden Gift Vouchers, a total of £500.

3. RHS School Gardening Team of the Year 2016

Do you have an outstanding gardening team in your school? This award recognises school teams that have made a real difference to their school environment. They share a passion for gardening and display excellent teamwork.

Everyone in the nominated team must be aged between 5 and 16.

The four finalists will receive a digital camera, an engraved trowel, gardening gloves and £250 in National Garden Gift Vouchers for each member. The winning team will receive a Gabriel Ash greenhouse worth £3,425, an extra £250 in National Garden Gift Vouchers and a visit from a celebrity gardener to their school.

How do I nominate?

Any adult representative from a school can make a nomination. The school must be registered with the RHS Campaign for School Gardening. It is free to sign up.

The deadline for entries is 5pm on Friday 22nd April 2016.

For more information about the awards process, please visit the RHS website.

Good luck!