Summer Gardens Competition 2022

We had a fantastic response to this year's competition from adults and children and judging was a tough call. After much deliberation, we decided on a winner and a second and third place, as well as a number of Highly Commended gardens too. We also decided on a winner for the Children's competition but arranged to give all the children who took part a gardening voucher. We have some green fingered and enthusiastic gardeners out there!

A full range of photos of the entrants can be seen here:

http://www.uphatherleyparish.co.uk/community/up-hatherley-parish-council-13769/gallery/

Here are the prize winners, along with some photos and quotes:

First Place £100 garden voucher: Mary Bennett

... the story of the Secret Garden was my favourite book as a child and the inspiration for our garden.I have positioned a mirror that 'leads to nowhere', a secret door that 'doesn't open' and "Mr Scruff", our resident robin, all add to the setting. Our composter enables me to enrich the soil which boosts the many seeds grown in the greenhouse.

The very small 'veg plot' supplies us with a variety of goodies, such as kale, purple sprouting, green beans, lettuce and herbs. The pleasure growing flowers and vegetables from seed is extremely rewarding (and money saving!!).

I enjoy recycling items - broken pots, ladders, sinks, chimney pots to name but a few.

Relaxing in the garden is important, made all the more pleasurable watching the many varieties of birds nibbling on the feeders and bathing in the miniature bath.

Second Place £50 garden voucher: Mary Harding

I have a nice size garden/patio area in a central area of Glebe Farm Court Community complex. I enjoy changing my pots to mainly pink & purple flowers, such as geraniums & fuchsias, for the summer months (usually pansies in the winter). I have a variety of shrubs & some roses too. .... I also love feeding the birds, hence the bird & water stands. I get a good variety of birds visiting. Fellow residents stop to chat very often as I’m out there regularly weeding & trimming etc. Sometimes they take a seat at my table and admire my garden and it gives me an opening just to chat with them and catch up with how they are. They may even get a cuppa... ...

Third Prize £25 garden voucher: Alison Brackenbury

There was a snow-white rose. There were some struggling shrubs. There were deserts of shaved grass... And that was all, forty-five years ago, in a garden perched by the railway in Up Hatherley.

The new young gardener thought she would like flowers all year – and wildlife. Now, with slightly creaking joints, she has a back garden where the winter honeysuckle opens for the bumblebees in January, followed by a storm of plum blossom (self-set from Hatherley’s lost orchards). It is followed by the ridiculously tall ‘Rambling Rector’, a tumbling rose with the breath of apricots. The pond is crowded with plump tadpoles

In the hot front garden grow valerian, sedum and buddleia for the bees – and such dense growth that the frogs and this year’s huge hedgehog never run out of snails... And there is, still, that snow-white rose.

Highly Commended £10 garden vouchers: Gillian Hall, Eileen Morrison, Sonja Fawkes, Paul Austin,Dave and Phyllis Smith, Jane Keene, Paul Bond

Children's winner £25 garden voucher: Lucas

My name is Lucas, I am 7 years old and I love growing veggies! I'm growing lots and love to snack on my fresh peas and carrots. I like trying to grow unusual things too like kohl rabi and romanesco cauliflower. I love wildlife so I've got a nature pond, bug hotel, bird feeders and a shaded area for toads. I helped Daddy to plant a tree in our front garden to make more oxygen and help the world. When I harvest more I am going to make a very veggie pasta sauce with Mummy. I really really love gardening and nature!

Highly Commended children: Jack, Indi, Lotus, Rufus, Ilias