A passion for gardening gets them the top spot

The Most Beautiful Garden of the 2009 City of Ryde Spring Garden competition has gone to Rod Browne and John Hancock of West Ryde.

The judges said that John and Rod’s passion for gardening and plants was evident everywhere you looked and that the garden was “a great testament to all their hard work”.

A record number of entries were received for the competition of which 24 were chosen for awards in eight categories. More than 170 local gardening gurus gathered at Brush Farm House last week to hear the winners announced.

Presenters included Benne-long MP Maxine McKew, sponsors Michael McNaugth (Eden Gardens), Tom Sweeney (Macquarie Park Crematorium), Ian Fribence (Australian Native Landscapes) and Ryde City Mayor Clr Michael Butterworth.

Winners were:

Most Beautiful Garden

1st Rod Browne and John Hancock

Judges note: In this beautiful garden there is not a spare patch of soil in sight and it is filled to bursting with plants that thrive in the Sydney climate. There are flowers everywhere; bromeliads, orchids, abutilon, clivias and begonias, to name just a few. The rear garden is quite magical with seats tucked into nooks everywhere, a cleverly disguised compost and work area, and modest water features dotted around the garden.

2nd Andrew Stutchbury; 3rd Patricia Pelly; highly commended: Mike and Betty Willis; Gary Eaves; Rosetta Maggio.

Most Beautiful Courtyard or Balcony

1st Alan Taylor

Judges note: Alan and his partner Simone have created a delightful oasis in a very small and challenging site which they describe as a ‘canyon’. Their balcony receives full sun during the middle of the day and is in full shade during the morning and afternoon. Attention to detail can e found in the choice of pots, plants and layout, with small touches like black pebbles for mulch.

Alan and Simone have become successful through a process of trial and error. Healthy succulents, ficus, palms and ferns are beautifully presented and are a credit to them.

2nd Judy Thompson; joint 3rd Megan Wade-Ferrell and Joy Scott.

Best Children’s Garden

1st Ryan de Burgh and the West Ryde Neighbourhood Children’s Centre

Judges note: collectively the group has created a beautiful ‘Dinosaur Garden’ in a small space at Ryan’s home in Putney. The garden is well laid out, the plants are well mulched, labelled and have attendant dinosaurs.

2nd Ilankumuran Muragappan; 3rd Sophie Jones

Most Beautiful Commercial Garden

1st Calvary Retirement Community

Judges note: The grounds of this site cover 22 acres and are well established with large palms, extensive mature azalea beds, wisteria walk, crab apple avenue and an exquisite dendrobium covered grotto. The resident participation extends to an enchanting tropical garden and active vegetable garden.

2nd Northern Suburbs Memorial Gardens and Crematorium.

Best Edible Garden

1st Carmello Rafaelle

Judges note: Mr Rafael is a master of growing edible plants. Huge mango trees, all in full flower, which feed family and friends all year round, dominate the streetscape. Coffee trees, persimmons, olives, mulberries and even sugar cane are dotted through the front garden. The rear garden is entirely given over to growing fruit and vegetables. The garden is immaculate and everything is thriving. Eggplants and chillis have just gone in and huge beds of lettuce, parsley and rocket are all growing strongly. It is a delightful garden to be in and an inspiration to anyone interested in growing their own.

2nd Julie Jardine; 3rd Macquarie University Com-munity Garden Club.

Best Bush Care Site

1st Pidding Park

Judges note: This site has an extraordinary level of commitment from the volunteers especially Edie Rosenburg who has been working on the site since 1981. The bushcare group was formalised in 2006 and the roving group provides assistance every 3-4 months. No contractors work on this long thin site which runs from Pidding Park quite steeply down to Pidding Road.

2nd Wallumatta Nature Reserve.

Best School Garden

1st Ermington Public School

Judges note: This garden is an outstanding example of gardening integrated into the curriculum all through the year and for all students. Recently established, the children researched and chose a suitable site, they designed the layout of the beds and then moved the soil in. The garden incorporates an area of native plants with a water feature and frog pond as well as productive beds for vegetables and herbs. The children actively compost, run a worm farm and are assisted by science teacher Carolyin Amat.

2nd Truscott Street School; 3rd Our Lady Queen of Peace.

Mayor’s Choice Award

Angela Thomas

Judges note: Angela has created a formal, modern Japanese style garden around an imposing house which is comprised of such elements as topiary, cascading conifers and a feature lawn of mondo grass.

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