Launching on the 20th of March 2025, ladder manufacturer, Henchman is once again calling out for professional and amateur gardeners to show off their topiary skills.
In 2024, the competition received over 75 entries and the awards and winners, were featured in the Financial Times, The New Yorker, BBC News, The Sun, Gardeners’ World and The Dirt News.
West Sussex-based Harrie Carnochan won the Professional Gardener category for his precisely sculpted, symmetrical designs, while David Hawson from Aberdeenshire claimed victory in the Home Gardener category with his intricate hedge scene featuring countryside and marine creatures, inspired by Moby Dick.
Owen Simpson, Managing Director at Henchman, said: “We were blown away by the stunning works of art we received in the inaugural Henchman Topiary Awards. The incredible passion and talent displayed in last year’s competition was simply inspiring and compelled us to expand the awards across Europe this year in search of even more talented topiarists. Topiary is a timeless traditional art form that has taken on a new lease of life in the garden in recent years, which was evident in the creativity of the entries we received. We can’t wait to see what works of art are submitted this year and celebrate the professionals and home gardeners who have created them!”
For 2025, the competition expands across multiple countries, giving topiary enthusiasts from across Europe the chance to showcase their skills. The awards will once again feature two categories – Best Professional Topiary, for seasoned topiarists and horticultural professionals, and Best Home Garden Creation, for passionate gardeners and enthusiasts who have mastered the craft in their own green spaces. With separate winners crowned in both the UK and Europe for each category, entrants will have the opportunity to earn recognition for their craftsmanship and take home their prizes.
The entries will be judged by: topiarist Andy Bourke; Michael Buck MCiHort Head of Horticulture Creepers Nursery; Patrick Salembier Président fondateur de l’Association Française pour l’Art Topiaire et le Buis, and Petra Hoyer Millar, editor of The Dirt News.
Submissions are open from 20th March until 31st May 2025. To enter, participants are invited to submit photographs and a brief description of their topiary work through the official competition page. The winners will be announced at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival in July.
The competition is open to UK and European residents only. Entrants must be over 18 years old. Employees of Henchman and their relatives, as well as any other company linked to the awards, are not eligible to enter. By entering the competition, participants agree to abide by the terms and conditions outlined on Henchman’s website.
