June 2004

Gardens to spring into life

The Office of Housing’s Victoria in Bloom initiative will improve gardens on public and community-managed housing estates across Victoria and boost tenants’ sense of community pride.

Launched as part of Housing Week 2004, Victoria in Bloom is a gardening competition open to all Victorian public housing tenants.

The competition will run through the winter gardening season and recognise outstanding gardens in the categories of household garden, common area garden, balcony or small-enclosed garden and senior’s garden.

The competition will close in September, winners announced later in the year.

There are currently community gardens at around 15 public housing sites in Melbourne, involving hundreds of tenants.

Victoria in Bloom will help increase the number of gardens across the state and bring together people from all walks of life and various cultures.

• Victoria in Bloom brochures will be available at Office of Housing offices. For entry forms visit www.housing.vic.gov.au or call 9616 8586 (tollfree 1800 663 622). For more information email vicbloom@dhs.vic.gov.au.