AVID gardeners have the opportunity to compete for the title of Dorset's most Wildlife Friendly Gardener.

The Dorset Wildlife Trust's annual Wildlife Friendly Gardening Competition - which is currently open for submissions - lets the county's gardeners put forward their handiwork with the chance to win prizes.

Those who enter will get a visit from judges, who will use a points system to judge how friendly for wildlife the contestant has made their garden.

Sally Welbourn, Communications Officer for Dorset Wildlife Trust said: "Following our fantastic Get Dorset Buzzing campaign last spring we are delighted to launch the 2020 Wildlife Friendly Gardening Competition. We hope that those who started making their gardens havens for pollinators and other wildlife last year, are excited to enter their gardens to this year's competition, and share tips and ideas for those who are just starting out.

"With the decline of insects, hedgehogs and some garden birds, it's more important than ever that we give wildlife a helping hand in our gardens."

Submissions for the competition, which is sponsored by The Gardens Group, are open until May 15.

There are four categories of gardens in the competition: small, medium, large and community. The prizes on offer include some wildlife friendly gardening products and a winner's plaque.

In order to be eligible, each contesting garden must have at least six of the following wildlife friendly features in order to qualify: a native hedge; water at different heights; nectar and pollen rich flowers; trees and shrubs with flowers and fruit; a home for bees or insects; climbing plants, homes for wildlife (such as a hedgehog house); a compost heap, wormery or homemade liquid fertilizer; log or stone piles; a pond or bog garden; a wildlife meadow or area of long grass; no use of chemicals, only peat free compost.

The Trust is also asking people to help support the county's insect life with a pledge to take 'Action for Insects' as part of an effort to help tackle our declining insect populations.

Anyone who wants to find out more or enter the competition should visit dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/wfgc