Gardeners’ creations the envy of many

THE overall winners with their trophies and certificates presented by the Mayor of Oldham, Councillor Ateeque Ur-Rehman

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OLDHAM’S green-fingered gardeners have been rewarded for their efforts at the Growing Together gardening awards ceremony at Smokies Hotel, Bardsley.

The First Choice Homes Oldham awards event was held in conjunction with Oldham Council’s private gardens and allotments competition, and incorporated category winners of Housing and Care 21, Village Housing Association, Contour and Regenda’s competitions.

The awards were presented by well-known broadcaster and Chelsea flower show host, Joe Swift.

Mr Swift said: “The Oldham gardens and allotments competition dinner was a huge success — a wonderful celebration of gardening in Oldham. There was a real buzz about the evening and a few tears of joy too.

“Oldham’s gardening and horticulture is the envy of many a town and city. Its parks and green spaces are always in tip-top condition. Oldham has a rich and long heritage of horticulture but is always planning ahead too, knowing that gardening and plants will play a big role in its future. Congratulations to Oldham who recognise these benefits for all and long may it continue.”

Cath Green, chief executive of FCHO, said: “Each year we are amazed by the effort that our residents put in and year on year our residents seem to raise the bar.

“We are clearly a town of green-fingered marvels and the awards ceremony is a fun evening and a great opportunity for us to say thanks to all those who make our communities so colourful with their gardening efforts.”


Garden competition winners


First Choice Homes Oldham


Young Gardener of the Year (sponsored by Mitie): Three joint winners — Erin Murphy, Longfellow Crescent, Sholver; Aimee Bone, Carr Lane, Greenfield; McKelvie Jackson, Finchcroft, Barker Street

Most Improved Garden (in memory of Harry Burns, FCHO chair, “Harry Burns Memorial Award”): Peter McDermott, Knott Lane, Bardsley

Best Community Garden of the Year (Oldham West): Brian Ward and Geoffrey Knight - Sedgemoor Way

Best Community Garden of the Year: (Oldham East): Sheila Cronley - Beech Avenue, Greenfield

Best Community Garden of the Year: (Oldham and the Rest): Mary Nixon, Evelyn Caveney, Irene Banks and Thelma Kellock - Tavern Court, Failsworth

Baskets/containers/balconies (sponsored by The Connell Group)

Oldham West: Derek Thompson, Ruth Street

Oldham East: Waltraud Trickett, Chew Vale, Greenfield

Oldham Other: Jenny Smith, Burnsall Grove, Royton

First Choice Homes Oldham Gardens

Oldham West: 1, Alfred Crowther, Caistor Walk, Burnley Street estate; 2, Ann Hague, Abbeyhills Road, Roundthorn; 3 Nicholas and Terry Ring, Egerton Street, town centre

Oldham East: 1, Philip Sumner and Susan Russell, Stevenson Drive, Sholver; 2, Wendy Clark, Kirkstone Close, Higginshaw Village; 3, Jackie Shaw, Longfellow Crescent, Sholver

Oldham and the Rest: 1, Stanley and Dorothy Gordon, Brooks Drive, Failsworth; 2, Pauline Norden, Henley Street, Chadderton; 3, Peter and Rita Flynn, Henley Street, Chadderton


Housing Associations


Housing and Care 21

Best Garden: Janet and James Cowan, Elizabeth Grove, Shaw

Best Court: Millgate, Hollins,

Best container garden: Rod and Kathleen Turner, St George’s Square, Chadderton

Regenda

Best front garden: Nicola Martin, Manwaring Street, Failsworth

Best back garden: June Benson, Bainborough Clough

Best hanging baskets and containers: Douglas Saxon, Limehurst Court

Contour

Best young gardener: Anika Talukder, Trafalgar Street

Best fruit and vegetable patch: Mohammed Abdul Molli Olli Ahmed, Westwood Drive

Best Community Garden: Colin Noble and Jimmy Miller, Cherry Hinton

Villages

Best garden: 1, Diane Emsley, Rosary Road; 2, Catherine Dawson, Fir Tree Avenue; 3, Joe Ingham, Reins Lee Avenue

Best Pensioner Garden: 1, Joyce Hooton, Keswick Avenue; 2, Keith Chambers, Sportsman Drive; 3 Russell Dean, Springwood Hall Road

Best Container Display: 1, Fred Edwards, Wildbrook Crescent; 2, Margaret Smith, Marland Avenue; 3, Hazel Gregory, Fir Tree Avenue

The Joyce Fairbrother Memorial trophy: Jenny Knight, Fitton Hill




Oldham Council winners


Private Gardens (merit awards)

Hazel Sharp, Hutchins Lane, Watersheddings

Thomas Adamson, Hylands, Burnedge Lane, Grasscroft

Glynis Bruce, Ashley House, Horest Lane, Denshaw

Bernadette McKenna, Alders Court, Bardsley

Best communal garden (merit awards)

Friends of the Owl, Failsworth

Secret Garden, Watersheddings

Allotments (merit awards)

Phillimore St allotments — Peter Taft

Fernhurst allotments — Mike Aston, James Dyson, Tony Ireson

Waterhead allotments — Mike Platt, Julie Powell

Constantine St allotments — Kevin Moore

Broadway allotments — Lynn Whitehead

Rushcroft allotments — Stuart Wood

Oakbank allotments — Michael Jeffrey

Medlock Way allotments — Richard Dawes

School Rd allotments — Peter Kershaw

Diggle allotments — Jim Williams

Heyside allotments — David Tempest, Ian Pratt

Stott’s Lane allotments — Clive Atkinson, Pat Moran

Fitton Hill allotments — Warren Wilson

Hope St allotments — Marilyn Guest

Werneth Park allotments — Ian Kershaw, Mr and Mrs C Iddon

South Chadderton allotments — Andy Patterson, Jeanette Barker, Tony Green

Cartmel Crescent allotments — Peter Dockney




Overall winners


First Choice Homes Oldham: Stanley and Dorothy Gordon, Brooks Drive, Failsworth

Oldham Council: Private garden — Hazel Sharp, Hutchins Lane, Watersheddings; communal garden — Secret Garden, Watersheddings

Allotments

Most Improved Site — Constantine Street

Shannon Trophy for the best six plots — Fernhurst Allotments

Oldham Corporation Cup for the best site in the Borough — South Chadderton Allotments

Oldham Chronicle Cup for the best plot in the borough

1, Ian Pratt, Heyside Allotments

2, Pat Moran, Stotts Lane Allotments

3, Michael Jeffrey, Oakbank Allotments