Sheffield's award winning 'Green Fingered' Gardeners

Green fingered 89 year old wins council gardening competition

LOCAL man Henry Gillespie has won a Housing and Neighbourhood Service’s Green Fingers Gardening Competition 2019 award for his hard work and dedication.

Henry, 89, won the award for his green-fingered expertise after transforming and maintaining the raised beds at Balfour House.

The award that Henry won was Best Sheltered Scheme Raised Planter, judged by Annice Fuller of Sheffield City Council’s Community and Engagement Team.

Neighbourhood officers at Balfour work to produce award-winning floral displays over the year was celebrated in Sheffield’s Botanical Gardens, a perfect backdrop for the occasion.

There were five prize categories as well as an additional Judges’ Choice award. The judges looked for well laid-out, wellmaintained gardens that contained a variety of healthy, colourful plants and e nv i r o n m e nt a l l y friendly gardening solutions, such as composting bins, water butts, recycled / upcycled objects used as planters or garden furniture, and gardens that made space for nature by attracting birds, bees and other wildlife.

The competition is now in its ninth year and is held to reward tenants who maintain their gardens to a high standard to improve to improve the appearance of estates. It also promotes the benefits that gardening can have for people's physical and mental well-being and raises awareness of environmentally friendly and sustainable gardening methods.

Janet Sharpe, Director of Housing and Neighbourhood Services said: “It was lovely attending the awards ceremony and seeing the dedication and enthusiasm of the tenants and residents who entered the competition. Thank you to everyone who made the event a great success.