The battle of the gardens is on for another year as green-fingered residents prepare to transform backyard jungles into lawns to-die-for.

The 2009 Borough in Bloom gardening competition, launched last month, will be looking for the best front gardens and frontages, blocks of flats and community buildings, as well as schools and business premises.

Posters featuring a painting of red tulips by Teddington School pupil Clara Pillitza have already begun to spring up in libraries to promote the event.

Clara is one of 16 children - whose designs impressed judges in a Richmond Borough in Bloom poster competition - will attend a tea party with the Mayor, Councillor Helen Lee-Parsons in York House, Twickenham on Thursday.

Chairman of Richmond Borough in Bloom, Pat Schooling said she was expected another entry-filled year and explained the committee was doing more than ever before to acknowledge the environmental awareness of youngsters.

“We are doing a special school gardening trophy and it’s got a lot of emphasis on the environment in the school grounds,” she said.

“We have always had schools as one of the categories and normally we split it up into a category for floral displays and another for conservation or wildlife but it did not really reflect what’s going on in schools at the moment.

“They are using their grounds in a wonderful way to teach the students about wildlife.”

In total there will be 13 award categories with merit awards and special trophies to be won.

Ms Schooling continued: “I think gardening has been one of the big growth industries over the past decade - it’s quite amazing how keen people are about their gardens.

“They get absolutely delighted if one year they have a bronze and the next year they move up to a silver.”

Entries are open now and forms are available at public libraries or by contacting Borough in Bloom on 020 8892 4949 or richmondinbloom@btconnect.com Ms Schooling added: “It’s going to be a very busy year.”

May Fair

Members of Richmond Borough in Bloom will be giving out information at their stand near the stage on Richmond Green, at Richmond May Fair on May 9.