Blooming great gardens in Ayrshire

Aug 24 2012 by Ian Russell, Kilmarnock Standard

GREEN-FINGERED local couple Jim and Sheila Mitchell are celebrating after all the hard work in their garden in Hurlford paid off.

For they’ve just been named overall winner of the council’s annual garden competition which is now in its 75th year.

The Mitchell’s, of Maxwell Gardens, along with the other award winners, will be presented with their trophy and prize at a special ceremony in the autumn.

Sheila, 61, said: “We are really pleased with how the garden turned out this year, despite the wet weather.”

Husband Jim, 65, said: “We are very excited to have won.”

There was a significant increase in the number of entries this year for best private and best council garden within each of the competition areas.

Judging the entries were local neighbourhood co-ordinators and officers from outdoor amenities. Frank Dawson and Sadie McSherry of East Ayrshire Tenants and Residents’ Federation had the unenviable task of choosing the overall winners.

Judge Sadie McSherry said: “I thoroughly enjoyed seeing these wonderful gardens. The amount of time and effort all the entrants put in was commendable.”

Councillor Douglas Reid, leader of the council, said: “The standard of entrants in this competition just keeps getting better and better. It’s great that so many people are enjoying the health benefits of gardening and inspiring others within the community to keep nice gardens.”

Winners in each of the areas were: Overall Winner – Mr and Mrs Mitchell, 19 Maxwell Gardens, Hurlford; Special Achievement Award – Mrs Burnett, 2 Springhill Gardens, Kilmarnock; Best Vegetable Garden – Mrs Preston, 2 Hemphill View, Knockentiber; Best Council Garden, Kilmarnock Central and South – Mrs Martha Orr, 33 Commonhead Road, Kilmarnock, runner-up Mr and Mrs Scott, 19 Campsie Road, Kilmarnock.

Best Private Garden, Kilmarnock Central and South – Mr and Mrs Greig, 29 Lammermuir Road, Kilmarnock, runner-up Mr Fulton, 24 Playingfield Road, Crosshouse; Best Council Garden, Irvine Valley & Ballochmyle – Ms Linda Anderson, 11 Causeway Road, Darvel, runner-up Mr and Mrs Paton, 8 Margaret Avenue, Galston.

Best Private Garden, Irvine Valley & Ballochmyle – Mr and Mrs Mitchell, 19 Maxwell Gardens, Hurlford, runner-up Mr Anderson, 87 Kerrmuir Avenue, Hurlford; Best Council Garden, North West Kilmarnock – Mr McIntosh, 65 Altonhill Avenue, Kilmarnock, runner-up Mrs McClue, 94 Altonhill Avenue, Kilmarnock; Best Private Garden, Mr Cassidy, 127 Tourhill Road, Kilmarnock, joint runner-up, Mrs Hamilton, 15 Arran View, Stewarton, Mr and Mrs Keohone, 43 Meiklewood Road, Kilmarnock.

A total of 57 entrants also received Highly Commended certificates and a further five were awarded Commended certificates.