Green-fingered gardeners reap rewards for prize-planters
![]()
Green-fingered residents of The Wrekin Housing Trust’s retirement communities have reaped rewards from their hard work, by winning trophies in a summer gardening competition.
Weston Park’s head gardener, Martin Gee, judged all entries which included categories for best individual garden, best pots and best community garden. He presented trophies to the winners at an afternoon tea event in the winning community garden at the Trust’s Parkwood extra care site in Woodside.
Martin, whose family has cared for the gardens at Weston Park for 150 years, said: “It has been an extremely challenging year for gardeners with a late start to the season followed by this almost unprecedented heatwave. I was really impressed at how well everyone had coped with the conditions. There were some remarkable displays and it’s been a great experience visiting the different gardens. They should all be very proud.”
Husband and wife Harry and Leonora Beech, winners of the best community garden award for their work in Parkwood’s grounds, said they love seeing other residents enjoying the gardens. “We’ve got to know more people here because we’re outside such a lot,” said Leonora. “Visiting families have come down here to enjoy picnics and we chat to lots of tenants who come out to enjoy the space. We just love doing it and get a great deal of satisfaction from seeing others appreciating our work.”
Christine Currier of Ketley, winner of the best pots category, said: “I’ve always loved gardening but my health hasn’t been great of late, so I work on pots and planters now as I find it easier to manage. They’ve taken a lot of looking after in the heat, so it’s lovely to get an award for them.”
The individual garden winner was Lynda Murmanis of Cornmell Lea, in Newport.
10th August 2018