| Monday 21st March 2005 |
105/2004 |
Competition Time: Winner Mavis Palmer.
Sharpen your shears and take out your trowel because the annual hunt to find the borough’s best gardener is blooming well back!
Now in its third year, Wigan and Leigh Housing’s Gardening Competition is rapidly becoming one of the highlights of the calendar for Wigan’s hordes of horticulturalists.
The previous two years have seen more than 230 flower fans planting, weeding, mowing and pruning away to get their gardens ready for that all-important visit from the judging panel. There are seven categories to be judged in this year's competition:
The top three in each section will win a prize and the first place winners will go forward to the borough-wide finals. The overall winners will receive some stunning prizes including vouchers and a trophy.
Last year’s overall winner was Higher Folds hedge-trimmer Mavis Palmer. Mavis took the top-spot for her classic combination of colourful floral displays, manicured lawn and top-notch design.
Although only in its third year, housing chiefs are convinced the competition is already helping to drive up the standard of gardens across the borough.
WALH Chief Executive Peter Gee said:
“The competition isn’t meant for experts and it doesn’t matter if garden’s are big or small, or just containers or a hanging basket — there’s a category for everybody. We hope that people will enjoy taking part in the competition and take great satisfaction from what they find they are able to achieve. Judging takes place in mid-June.”
You don’t have to be ‘hands-on’ to be part of this year's competition because organisers are asking tenants and residents to get involved in the judging process as well.
Entry forms are available at WALH Area Housing Offices from Tuesday March 29th onwards. You can also enter the competition via the internet at Wigan & Leigh Housing's website.
Anyone wanting more information can contact Tenant Participation Officers Simon Maxwell on 0800 0321451 or Paul Harrison on 0800 3897652.