The urban renewal of Minto has already won a multitude of awards, but it appears the suburb’s gardens are now also the talk of the town after taking top honours in this year’s Campbelltown City Garden Competition.
The winners were announced last night at a special awards ceremony at the Greg Percival Community Centre in Ingleburn.
Lyle and Gloria Whan of Minto Heights received $1300 in prizemoney by taking out the prestigious title of Grand Champion, while Maureen and Fred Dennett of Minto were awarded Reserve Champion and received $600 for their efforts.
Mr and Mrs Whan’s labour of love also won the Most Unusual Garden category. Former school teachers, the Whan’s garden includes different ‘classrooms’, tells the story of various nursery rhymes and reflects the couple’s great sense of humour, love of people and the outdoors.
The garden also traces the long history of the Campbelltown City Garden Competition, paying respect to a former regular entrant, competition champion, and close family friend, Harry Waghorn. The Whans were also awarded runners up in the Best Senior Citizen Garden category.
Mr and Mrs Dennett’s cottage inspired garden came first in the Best Backyard and the newly-created Anne Haddock Best Cottage Garden category. The award was a moving sentiment, particularly given Mrs Dennett and Anne had formed a close friendship in the years prior to Anne passing away.
This year’s competition attracted a total of 38 entrants, across 11 categories. Mayor of Campbelltown, Cr Paul Lake, congratulated all of the entrants and winners on their outstanding efforts.
“Once again, entrants in our city’s Garden Competition have highlighted the hard work, time and effort that goes into their gardens and in helping to beautify our city,” Cr Lake said.
“I’d like to thank everyone involved for continuing to support this competition, particularly the local businesses that sponsored this event.”
Sponsors included Ken Shafer Smash Repairs (gold sponsor); Get Smart Technologies (silver sponsor); Andreassens Green Wholesale Nurseries, Benedict Industries, CNC Cliff Church, Coates Hire, Friendly Fred’s Tree Services, News Local Macarthur Chronicle, Ron Haddock, SITA Organics, The Australian Botanic Garden, The Garden Clinic and Tim’s Garden Centre.
This year’s award ceremony featured special guest, John Siemon, the recently appointed Curator Manager of The Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan. John has spent the past 12 years working for the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney managing laboratories and science infrastructure. One of John’s recent achievements was the project management of the Australian PlantBank.
The 2014 Garden Competition winners include:
Grand Champion – Lyle and Gloria Whan of Minto Heights
Reserve Champion – Maureen and Fred Dennett of Minto
Best Large Garden
Winner – Mark and Linda Jones
Runner Up – Polytimi Aetosolos
Highly Commended – Ran Bhaskar
Best Small/Medium Garden
Winner – Teresa Bateup
Runner Up – Peter and Korina Anderson
Best Sustainable Garden
Winner – Dimitrios and Katina Mourtos
Runner Up – Hilton McCormick
Best Backyard
Winner – Maureen and Fred Dennett
Runner Up – David Fletcher
Best Native Garden
Winner – Reymon Legslie
Runner Up – Mrs L Darney
Most Unusual Garden
Winner – Lyle and Gloria Whan
Runner Up – Terry Benjamin
Anne Haddock Best Cottage Garden
Winner – Maureen and Fred Dennett
Runner Up – Teresa Bateup
Best Senior Garden
Winner – David Fletcher
Runner Up – Lyle and Gloria Whan
Highly Commended – Polytimi Aetopolos
Best Edible Garden
Winner – Hilton McCormick
Runner Up – Dimitrios and Katina Mourtos
Best Educational Facility
Winner – Campbelltown Performing Arts High School
Runner Up – Macquarie Fields High School
Highly Commended – Harmony House
Best Commercial Garden
Winner – Kilbride Nursing Home
Runner Up – Waratah Adult Mental Health Unit
DISTRICT AWARDS
Airds Jean and Stan Lane
Bradbury Dimitrios and Katina Mourtos
Blair Athol Maureen Crago
Bow Bowing Mark and Linda Jones
Campbelltown Polytimi Aetopolos
Eagle Vale Magda and Bushara Fawaz
Glen Alpine David Fletcher
Glenfield Ingrid Schwaiger
Ingleburn Margaret and Michael Carney
Leumeah Marie Beattie
Macquarie Fields Mrs L Darney
Minto Maureen and Fred Dennett
Minto Heights Lyle and Gloria Whan
Raby Reymon Legslie
Rosemeadow Kilbride Nursing Home
Ruse Terrance Benjamin
