Wokingham

Growing interest from green-fingered residents, community groups, pub landlords, businesses and shopkeepers meant the Wokingham Mayor’s colour and cheer gardening competition boasted an impressive crop of winners. And all the winners attended a special prize-giving ceremony on September 18.

Organised by Wokingham borough council mayor Cllr Annette Drake, the annual council-run competition had something for all Wokingham borough’s gardeners. The competition was sponsored by the Times’ Series and supported by Foster Wheeler Ltd and Millgate Homes.

Now in its ninth year, the competition has gone from strength to strength and aims to reward gardeners who work hard to brighten up their local community. Mary Jenno and Bob Mould from the Wokingham Horticultural Association joined Cllr Annette Drake to judge the competition.

Winner of the Best Summer Display Front Garden was Tim Downes of Barkham Road in Wokingham. The judges noted ‘his garden is a delight to passing folk. It is well laid out with plants of varying heights and coordinated colours. The bright border next to the pavement is especially eye-catching.’

Coming a close second was Patricia McNab of Little Glebe in Sonning and the judges applauded her garden stating ‘her garden is a riot of colour and her front hedge is immaculately trimmed.’ And in third place was Sally Woolford of Broadwater Road in Twyford.

Winner of the Best All Year Round garden was Kathy Bateson of Limmerhill Road in Wokingham. The judges said the garden ‘invited the onlooker to stop and enjoy the variety of leaf forms as well as the flowers. It’s a garden with many varied, unusual plants for seasonal interest.’ Scooping second place were Mr and Mrs Richardson of Hilmanton in Lower Earley and judges praised their garden’s features ‘for its mixture of conifers and perennials with bright splashes of summer colour.’

Triumphing for the fourth year running, The Swan at Three Mile Cross clinched top prize for the Best Pub Frontage. Judges said the pub won ‘hands down’ and said: ‘The Harrisons really make a fuss of their plants. Where else can you see a Wisteria growing in a pot? How often do you find roses in the middle of a host of other pot plants? The variety of the summer plants for hanging baskets and tubs was excellent and they were in very good condition despite rain and wind!’

Wokingham Borough Council mayor Cllr Annette Drake said: “After the ceremony Tim Downes told me he received a letter from a regular passer-by who had been visiting her mother in Wokingham. She said that she had been cheered up by his colourful front garden. This is why I am delighted these awards give recognition to all the residents that spend many hours working hard and showing they care about their local area.

“The competition this year was truly outstanding despite the appauling weather! It was a marvellous experience to see such professionalism in the borough’s gardens and was a close call between the finalists. The standard of entries were very good and it gave the judges a very difficult task to pick the winners.”

At the winners’ ceremony in September, prizes of garden vouchers and engraved shields were presented along with a bottle of champagne for those in first place.

Wokingham Borough Council