Taking great pride in his garden has won Marfell resident Allan Cuckow this year’s Housing for the Elderly Garden Competition.

NPDC Manager Community Development Leighton Littlewood says Mr Cuckow took out the top prize of Best Block of Units for the work he has put into an outstanding planting on a bank and his maintenance of the gardens for the entire block.

His win means the residents in the block of units will receive an outdoor seat donated by Turfworkz. Other category winners receive vouchers from local stores.

“The competition is a great way for our housing tenants to show off their achievements in their gardens,” says Mr Littlewood.

“It’s a fun event leading into the Christmas season, and I really like that the competition encourages our tenants to undertake gentle exercise through gardening.”

There were 15 entries in the three categories. The winners are:

• Best block of units: 1st Allan Cuckow (Cook Street, New Plymouth); 2nd Laureen Brackenridge (Henui Street, NP).
• Best vegetable garden: 1st Clifford Libeau (Rata Street, Inglewood); 2nd Ken Day (Nevada Drive, NP); 3rd Allan Cuckow (Cook Street, NP).
• Best flower garden: 1st Margaret Edgar (Doone Street, NP); 2nd Gladys Hopkinson (Nevada Drive, NP); 3rd Mavis Herbert (Nevada Drive, NP).
• Mayor’s choice award: ‘The Boys’ (Somerset Street, NP) for exceptional gardening on a difficult site.

The competition was sponsored by Palmers Gardenworld, The Warehouse, Mitre 10, Bunnings, Todd Energy Aquatic Centre, Mark Crowley Builder and NPE Tech. The winners were judged by Cr Lynn Bublitz and Ray Pope from the Council’s parks field staff.