WIN PRIZES with TOPIARY
EBTS members and gardeners everywhere are familiar with the wonderful lightweight, stable ladders sold by Henchman – ideal for clipping topiary. Now, the company has come up with the simply brilliant idea of encouraging topiary by launching its own TOPIARY AWARDS. Why did nobody think of doing this before?
The Henchman Topiary Awards, announced on 20 March 2024, aim to ‘Celebrate the art of topiary and recognise those who demonstrate exceptional skill, creativity, and passion in shaping and maintaining incredible living sculptures. Individuals of all backgrounds and skill levels are encouraged to enter their favourite pieces of work.’
‘Topiary has been an important part of British gardening for centuries, and we hope that the awards will not only shine a light on those talented individuals who create topiary but also inspire the next generation of gardeners to try their hand at the art.’
Owen Simpson, Managing Director of Henchman
There will be two categories of entries in the competition:
- Professional
- Home Gardener
EBTS JUDGING
Henchman turned of course to the EBTS and invited our own Elizabeth Hilliard, Editor of our annual journal TOPIARIUS, to be one of the panel.
Other judges are:
- Andy Bourke, professional topiarist and better known on Instagram as The_Hedge_Barber
- Michael Buck, Head of Horticulture at Creepers Nursery
- Owen Simpson, Managing Director at Henchman
Judging criteria will include creativity, craftsmanship and overall impact and winners will be announced at this year’s RHS Hampton Court Flower Show in early July 2024.
Prizes
Don’t hold back, because the winner in each category will receive outstanding prizes including:
- A trophy
- Henchman ladder
- ARS Shears
- Bundle of other Henchman products
- One-year membership to EBTS UK, and a day trip for two on one of our garden outings
- Tickets to the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show to receive the award
How to enter
It’s easy to enter and we urge all EBTS gardeners to show what they can do. Let’s see a healthy contingent of EBTS submissions! Send photographs of a piece of topiary you’ve created, along with a written description, before the closing date, 31 May 2024. This year the competition is open to residents of the UK only, but we hope that in future years submissions might be welcomed from all countries where Henchman sell their products…
About Henchman
Henchman have provided the EBTS with information about their company and products to accompany the news of their new Topiary Awards.
Founded by father and son duo Mike and Tom Kitching, over the past three decades the company has evolved from a small family business to the leading garden ladder brand in the UK. Based in Wiltshire, the dedicated design team at Henchman offers a wide range of unique products created to keep customers safe on uneven terrain while working at height, a range which they’ve pioneered since 1994 when they launched their first model at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
The Henchman collection includes the cutting-edge fully adjustable tripod ladder, fully adjustable PRO tripod ladder, the Hi-Step platform, the wheeled henchman, as well as a range of large capacity wheelbarrows and accessories, all designed to make gardening a safe, sturdy and enjoyable experience. They tell us that theirs is the first and only fully EN131 certified tripod ladder on the market in the UK and the rest of the world.
‘From the National Trust to the England Rugby team and Royal Households, and not forgetting thousands of gardeners, DIY-enthusiasts and professionals, Henchman helps its customers get the job done, safely.’
