Celebration time for winning gardeners

Saddleworth in Bloom competition. Winner of Large Garden category, Glynis Bruce, Ashley House, Horest Lane, Denshaw.

AMAZING azaleas and perfect petunias wowed judges of the annual Saddleworth in Bloom competition.

Hundreds of entries from pubs, community groups and individuals across Saddleworth competed for 18 prizes.

Gardening expert Frank Ashton and the chairman of Saddleworth Parish Council, Councillor Enid Firth, were on the judging panel.

Residents had been asked to nominate gardens which they thought deserved to be judged.

Judges were bowled over by displays at The Swan in Dobcross, which took first prize in the pubs category. Second and third places were won by The Old Original in Scouthead and the Old Bell Inn, Delph.

Love Lygate’s outstanding display in Stockport Road won the community group category, with Dobcross in second place.

Winner of the large garden category was Glynis Bruce, of Ashley House, Horest Lane, Denshaw, with Mr Adamson, of Grasscroft, taking the medium size garden title, Mr Butterworth, of Greenfield, winning of the small garden category, and Stuart Crossland, of Greenfield, taking the container garden title.