Gardens bloom for competition judges

Poor weather over the last couple of weeks hasn’t prevented a bumper crop of entries to this year’s Garden Competition organised by Stafford’s largest provider of affordable homes.

Over the past week, judges have been dodging the showers to inspect the efforts of green-fingered customers of Stafford and Rural Homes (SARH).

This year the judging team was joined by David Wheat, the son of former SARH board member Shirley Wheat. After many years service to the housing association, Shirley sadly passed away last year and now has an award category named in her honour.

“Mum would have been delighted at the quality of the gardens on show,” said David, who works at SARH as a Project Surveyor. “As a keen gardener herself, she’d also be made up to see me volunteering to help with the judging.

“You can really see the hard work and dedication that’s gone into making these gardens look their best and although it will be difficult deciding on the winners, I’ve really enjoyed being part of this fantastic competition.”

The winners will be announced at a special event at SARH’s headquarters at Parker Court later this month when awards will be presented in a range of categories for front and back gardens, allotments and other floral features as well as the Shirley Wheat award for Best Communal Garden and Young Gardener of the Year.

David is pictured here (left) inspecting a communal garden at Lichfield Court, Stafford, with fellow judges David Hughes, SARH Customer Board member and Chairman of Doxey Parish Council and Chris Brown, a gardener with award sponsors Streetscene, part of Stafford Borough Council.