Residents and colleagues at HC-One’s Snapethorpe Hall care home in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, are celebrating after being crowned winners of the 2025 national HC-One Gardens in Bloom competition.
The annual initiative encourages HC-One care homes across the UK to get creative with their outdoor spaces, showcasing the therapeutic benefits of gardening while strengthening local community ties and promoting sustainability.
With 59 entries to our Gardens in Bloom competition this year, and six finalists shortlisted by our judging panel, there was tough competition for this year’s winning garden!
A garden at the heart of the home
Snapethorpe Hall impressed judges with its vibrant and inclusive outdoor space, fondly named “The Heart of Snapethorpe Hall”. The garden was designed to promote wellbeing, community connection, and biodiversity, with every feature offering both beauty and purpose.
Highlights of the garden include:
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A large butterfly-shaped vertical planter crafted from repurposed pallets, hand-painted by residents, colleagues, families and volunteers, and bursting with colourful flowers.
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A welcoming flower corner made from tyres, transformed with donations of plants, compost and paint.
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A productive vegetable plot growing tomatoes, onions, peppers, jalapeños and strawberries, inspired by resident Eileen Peace.
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Hanging baskets designed by residents David and Stephen Gooden.
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Wildlife-friendly planting, painted mushrooms, and decorative butterflies contributed by community members.
The entrance to the garden even features a striking solar-lit clock set within a tyre, a focal point that is both practical and eye-catching.
A community effort rooted in sustainability
The garden has been shaped by the generosity and creativity of families, local volunteers and businesses, including Hampson’s Garden Centre, B&Q Wakefield and Park Tavern Pub Ossett. Contributions ranged from plants and compost to handmade decorations and building materials.
Residents also played a leading role. David shared his horticultural skills through plant propagation, while Tommy kept the plants watered. Their efforts inspired the launch of a new weekly gardening club so residents can continue nurturing the space together.
Snapethorpe Hall also embraced a wide range of eco-friendly practices, from solar-powered lighting and rainwater collection to peat-free soil, composting, and planting sunflowers to attract pollinators and improve soil health. Bird feeders and wildlife-friendly planting help support local species, reinforcing the home’s commitment to the environment.
Daniela Manea, Wellbeing Coordinator at Snapethorpe Hall, said:
“Winning this award means so much to all of us at Snapethorpe Hall. Our garden has truly become the heart of our home, a place where residents, families, and the community come together. Watching everyone’s ideas, skills, and kindness blossom alongside the plants has been inspiring. It’s proof that when people work together, something beautiful can grow.”
The Gardens in Bloom competition gave HC-One care homes across England, Scotland and Wales the opportunity to explore creative outdoor projects, from sensory patches and vegetable plots to wildlife habitats and eco-gardens.
Judges selected six finalists, along with an overall winner, based on creativity, community involvement, and sustainable gardening practices.
Snapethorpe Hall was awarded the overall trophy, a plaque, a gardening hamper, and a £300 gift voucher kindly sponsored by Real Trade Supplies.
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