Countdown to Worthing in Bloom

The competition, supported by the Worthing Herald, features categories for individual, business and school gardens, too.

New this year is a tallest sunflower event.

It is hoped the category, which will be judged in three age groups, will attract more younger people to the competition.

Entry forms will be printed in the Herald later this month and to coincide, we will be giving away packets of free sunflower seeds.

Peter Kerrigan, organising the competition for Worthing council, said: "Children are the gardeners of the future so it's great to get them involved early.

"The winner will get a free bike of their choice from Halfords so we hope this will be an incentive.

"Overall, Worthing in Bloom this year is shaping up to be a great competition, for which we expect hundreds of entries."

The closing date for entries is July 2, with the exception of the allotment class, which is June 8.

The domestic competition categories are:

Best residential road

Best domestic single hanging basket

Best domestic waterwise garden

Best allotment

Best domestic small front garden

Best domestic large front garden

Best domestic collection of hanging baskets or containers and tallest sunflower

Business categories are:

Best business premises single hanging basket

Best business premises garden

Best nursing or residential home

Best public house or restaurant

Best hotel or guest house up to 15 bedrooms

Best hotel or guest house over 15 bedrooms

Children's categories are: best garden for schools and youth groups and best project by schools and youth groups.

Entrants will firstly be judged within their geographical area in the second week of July, with allotment class judging taking place in the second week of June.

The winners from those locations will then be judged again in August to find each category's overall winner.

An award presentation evening for all the winners will be held on October 8, in the Richmond Room in Stoke Abbott Road.

For more information visit www.worthing.gov.uk/wib