Wokingham

Green fingered gardeners from the Wokingham ‘Growing Places’ horticultural therapy project won prizes for perfect plants on Friday June 30. The ‘Thrive’ Trunkwell Garden Project held its annual flower show at Beech Hill, which this year received nearly 300 entries from 22 horticulture projects across the South East. And a group of gardeners with learning disabilities from Growing Places Berkshire, the horticultural project operated by Wokingham Resource and Opportunity Centre (WROC) went along to show off the flower arrangements and garden ornaments they have been making.

“It was a wonderful sunny day,” said Growing Places therapist Margaret Larby. “The gardens looked delightful and made a perfect setting for the show. There were stalls, refreshments and a steel band providing live music. But all our eyes were on the exhibition tent, waiting to see what the judges thought!”

There was no need for nerves – the Wokingham Growing Places team carried off a host of prizes. Peter Waite and Ellen Allwood both won gold medals, Peter for a wildlife photograph and Ellen for an arrangement of home grown summer flowers in a vase. Liz Cayzer and Iain Baines both won silver, Liz for a decorative garden ornament made from recycled materials, and Iain for a wildlife photograph. Nigel Roffe and Melvyn Allwright both won bronze medals, Nigel for his arrangement of home grown summer flowers, and Melvyn for his floral table decoration. The group as a whole also took a silver medal for their name plaque made of mosaics.

Executive member for Wokingham community care Pauline Helliar-Symons said: “Growing Places is a wonderful project. Gardening involves lots of creative skills and can really give people confidence – especially when their beautiful creations win prizes! Trunkwell Flower Show is a very popular competition and the Growing Places participants should be very proud of their achievements there.”

The Growing Places team have been hard at work growing plants to sell, and their next plant sale in the Mall at Wokingham District Council’s civic offices in Shute End will be on Thursday August 3. If you would like to know more about Growing Places Berkshire please visit http://www.growingplaces-berkshire.co.uk/ or email Julie.stevens@wokingham.gov.uk

Wokingham District Council