Spirita gardeners reap rewards

Dot and Mike Gee, who this year were both awarded the MBE for services to the local community, have won another award, this time for their gardening skills in Spirita’s Annual Gardening Competition.

The competition is open to all Spirita residents and at an Awards Ceremony held at Hilton Grange, West Bridgford, Sheila Hyde, Managing Director of Spirita, presented the couple with two awards, one for the Best Display Garden and another as the Overall Winner of the competition.

The judges said that the Gee’s garden was ‘absolutely lovely, tranquil and relaxing’ and commented on the amount of work required to both reach and maintain this standard.

Congratulating all those who entered the competition, Ms Hyde said that the standard had been extremely high this year. “It was good to see entries from right across Spirita’s area,” she added. “Gardening is a great way to keep fit and beautiful gardens make whole communities feel and look better.”

Mike and Dot Gee added: “It’s been a really good year for us! To win the ‘overall best garden’ is absolutely superb and we are delighted.

“At a recent Church Garden Party held in our garden it was described as ‘a little piece of heaven’, which was a lovely comment. It’s really pleasing to hear that other people enjoy it as much as we do.”

This competition has eight categories:

• Best Display Garden - Dot & Mike Gee, Riber Crescent, Nottingham
• Best Container Garden - Mr & Mrs Williams, Rad Meadows, Long Eaton. The judges said that it was a visually very pleasing, low maintenance garden.
• Best Mixed Garden - Mr & Mrs Harvey, Moor Lane, Ruddington.
  The judges commented on its beauty and the wide variety of plants, with not a weed in sight.
• Best Assisted Garden - Anne Spate, Moor Lane, Normanton. The judges noted that it was a very natural garden, well thought out with lots of different foliage and plants.
• Best Family Garden - Miss K Nicholls, Asher Lane, Ruddington.
  The judges said that it was a lovely safe family garden, especially for children, with good use made of the space.
• Best Scheme Garden - Dover Court Community Club, Dover Court, Normanton. The judges commented on the amount of work involved in the planning of this garden, which has an excellent show of both flowers and vegetables.
• Special Judges Award - Mr L Wilson, Eastmoor, Cotgrave:
  The Judging Panel said that this garden has a great show of colour, is full of variety with a good use of the space, and lots to see.
• Neighbourhood Officers Award - Mr & Mrs Hollox, Draymans Court, New Basford.

For several years, Mrs Hollox has ensured that Central Island at the entrance of the estate is a vision of colour for all her neighbours to enjoy. The Senior Neighbourhood Officer Nick Opacic felt that Mr & Mrs Hollox deserved acknowledgement for their ‘Community Spirit’.

Each garden was judged on the following criteria: initial visual impact; design and layout; quality and variety of plants; and the work involved.

The judging panel comprised Local Spirita Committee Members June Carrington, Yvonne Cannaby and Phil Mead together with Mr Peter Ablit who was the overall winner from the 2007 competition, Derby resident Mr Widdowson, and Trefor Owen, a member of staff from RedWelly, Spirita’s social enterprise that transforms gardens for the benefit of the local community.

Spirita is one of the largest providers of housing and associated support services in the East Midlands, with approximately 10,000 properties across the region.

“Gardening is something that unites communities, so we are delighted to see so many of our residents entering our competition,” concluded Ms Hyde.

Media enquiries: Sallie Blair, Better Times, 01283 821012.