By Isle of Wight Observer
The Island’s largest competition of its kind, and this year’s winners of Wight in Bloom, are being revealed.
The Island-wide competition, organised by Visit Isle of Wight, aims to discover the green-fingered talents of residents and businesses who go above and beyond to help the Island cement its reputation as ‘the Garden Isle’.
In a ceremony at Albert Cottage on Friday, Wight in Bloom patron, Alan Titchmarsh, together with Visit IW managing director, Will Myles, presented awards to winners in a number of categories.
Lucas Richards, 16, from Nettlestone, amazed judges with his hard work, taking home the Best Young People Initiative award and the Peggy Jarman Trophy for the Overall Winner.
Judges commented it was “An inspiring and varied garden with a strong design theme which demonstrates what can be achieved by thoughtful planting in a fairly small space.”
Lucas said: “Gardening is very therapeutic, so when you’re stressed you just go out to the garden, you know, just do a couple chores around and it really gets to stress off your head and also it’s just so relaxing.”
Alan Titchmarsh said: “People have really become aware in recent years about how important a piece of land is environmentally, from a wildlife point of view, from sustaining all kinds of creatures that share our gardens with us, but also, you know, we have a right to be there as well, and mental health has been hugely improved by a piece of land outside.”
See the full results at iow.live/wightinbloomresults and our picture gallery at iow.live/wightinbloompics or use the QR code.
Winners: Best Small Front Garden: Sandy Crump, Newport, Best Large Front Garden: Colin and Hilary Baily, Newchurch, Best Small Tourist Attraction Garden: Mottistone Gardens, Best Large Tourist Attraction Garden: Robin Hill Country Park, Best Commercial Garden: St Maur Hotel, Ventnor, Pride of Place Floral Project: Sandown Green Town Volunteers, planted beds on Cliff Path, Sandown, Best Young People Initiative: Lucas Richards, Nettlestone, Best Edible Garden: Glenn Martin, Whitwell, Best Container Garden: Nicky Robinson, Cowes, Best Care Giving Complex Garden: Sarah Starsmore, Rookley, Patron’s Award: Farringford Estate, Peggy Jarman Award for Overall Winner: Lucas Richards, Nettlestone.