Henchman Topiary Awards return for 2025

Henchman Topiary Awards return for 2025: Talented topiarists from across the UK and Europe are being called upon to sharpen their shears for the Henchman Topiary Awards 2025.

Following the resounding success of the inaugural awards in 2024, the popular competition founded by leading ladder garden specialist Henchman is set to return this spring – and will be expanding to accept entrants from across Europe.

Launching on 20th March 2025, the Henchman Topiary Awards will celebrate the art of transforming foliage into stunning living sculptures. This year, 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 some fantastic prizes.

A panel of top topiary and horticulture experts will judge the entries. Returning this year are Andy Bourke, professional topiarist and popular influencer known as ‘The Hedge Barber,’ and Michael Buck, Head of Horticulture at Creepers Nursery. Joining them are new judges Petra Hoyer Millar, Editor of The Dirt News and runner-up in last year’s Home Gardener category, and Patrick Salembier, President of EBTS France and organiser of World Topiary Day at Levens Hall.

The champions in each category will be awarded a Henchman ladder of their choice, ensuring they can continue sculpting their masterpieces with the best tools available. The competition will be open until the end of May, providing entrants with plenty of time to refine their masterpiece, with the winners being announced at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival on Saturday 5th July 2025.

Last year’s competition attracted over 75 entrants, including some extraordinary displays of skill. 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!”

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 at https://www.henchman.co.uk/pages/henchman-topiary-awards.

For more information and full competition terms and conditions, visit: www.henchman.co.uk.

The Judges 

Andy Bourke – The Hedge Barber – Professional Topiarist and Online Influencer

Andy has worked in horticulture for over 10 years and is a professional hedge cutter and topiary artist. Using traditional hand cutting methods, Andy has worked on small intricate topiary designs as well as larger, organic shapes. Andy is better known online at The Hedge Barber – creating aesthetically pleasing videos of his topiary creations.

Michael Buck – Head of Horticulture at Creepers Nursery 

Michael started in horticulture while trying to forge a career in football, 17 years ago, which saw him experience different sectors within the industry. For the past 10 years, Michael has spent his time working on many exciting nursery and garden projects across the UK and Europe, and has since become the Head of Horticulture at Creepers Nursery.

Petra Hoyer Millar – Editor of The Dirt Horticulture News

Petra is a gardener, horticultural journalist and editor of The Dirt News. A fan of all things topiary, she is the creator of a large cloud-pruned yew hedge and shapes, for which she was runner up in the 2024 Henchman Topiary Awards in the Home Gardener category. Retrained from her economic background, she has enough RHS horticultural diplomas to know how to propagate, plant and prune her way through anything green.

Patrick Salembier – President of EBTS France and organiser of World Topiary Day at Levens Hall

Patrick is the president of European Boxwood and Topiary Society France (EBTS France) and the editor of Buis et Topiaires. Passionate about sharing his knowledge, he published The Boxwood Manual in 2017 and has played a key role in organising World Topiary Day in collaboration with Levens Hall for the past three years. Since 2012, Patrick has also been the designer of the gardens at Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, bringing expertise and creativity to one of France’s most renowned landscapes.

Entry T&Cs 

The competition will run from 20 March 2025 to 31 May 2025. 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.

For the latest industry news visit landscapingmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Landscaping Matters