Winners of the Cheshire Life/Bents Garden of the Year 2012 competition receive their prizes. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN COCKS
Matthew Bent, managing director of Bents Garden and Home, met winners of our Garden of the Year competition to hand over their prizes.
Mr Bent presented gift vouchers of �1,000 to winners Sue and Dave Colegate of Mollington, near Chester, and to St. Winifred’s School, Heaton Mersey, Stockport, who were successful in the school category.
The school’s garden and the staff’s approach to the project impressed Mr Bent. Of St. Winifred’s entry, he said: ‘It is great that they are working together and also learning about vegetables and nutrition.’ The school also won a Royal Horticultural Society Award last year.
The Colegates’ passion for their domestic garden was clear, Mr Bents said, when he considered their entry. The large garden was very neglected and overgrown when they bought their home in 2001 but their efforts transformed it into a delightful space enjoyed by family and friends throughout the year.
The visit to Bents’ premises at Glazebury, near Warrington, allowed the winners to see what an impressive retail centre it is with an amazing range of stock - not just gardening and interiors products. Clearly they will have no trouble spending their prize vouchers!
Cheshire Life and Bents would like to thank all those who entered the competition. We will feature some of the gardens in the magazine this year.
