Good Neighbour Garden Competition winners enjoy their award ceremony in a beautiful IDEA Services garden
Staff Support Award, Centorian Drive, Mairangi
Front from left, seated: William and Bryce.
Back from left: Paul, Wendy, Nicolas, Maggie Barrie and staff members Cesar and Wayne.
It couldn’t have been a better day for gardening enthusiast and North Shore MP Maggie Barry to present the awards to the winners of IHC’s Good Neighbour Gardening Competition in Auckland on Monday.
It was perfect weather for the award ceremony, which was held in the garden of Wayne and Paula, winners of the Staff Support award.
In presenting the prizes, Maggie said what she loved about the competition entries was that they were more to do with the heart than the head. People’s enthusiasm was obvious and everyone looked like they had enjoyed themselves, rather than finding it hard work, she said.
She chose the winners from 69 regional finalists from throughout New Zealand.
Prizewinners were joined by Auckland staff and managers and representatives from Accessible Properties, who organised the Good Neighbour Gardening Competition.
IHC’s Director of Advocacy Trish Grant, said that as well as encouraging people to learn new skills and experience the satisfaction of gardening, the competition was about developing lovely surroundings and taking pride in them.
“It’s about being a good neighbour, being part of the community and helping it to look great. Who wouldn’t want to have this lovely garden in their neighbourhood,” she said of Centorian Drive, winners of the Staff Support Award.
Accessible Properties General Manager Andrew Wilson said it was fantastic that the gardening competition, the third such event, attracted 230 entries – nearly three times the number of entries in the first competition. He thanked Property Manager Julia Saunders for organising the event, IHC for their sponsorship, and Maggie Barry for her enthusiasm as judge of the national winners.
The afternoon ended with refreshments and plenty of photographs taken of the winners as people enjoyed the ambience of their surroundings.
The grand prize of a wheelbarrow prize pack and $600 voucher went to Marcel Place, Glenfield, Auckland, for an entry which “reflected the true spirit of the competition, displaying maximum participation and maximum pleasure”.
Best service user input: $100 Mitre 10 voucher and wheelbarrow prize pack went to Murray of Christchurch for achieving “a wonderful garden by making his own compost, and growing well selected plants from seed”. Murray was unable to attend the prizewinning ceremony.
Most improved garden: $100 Mitre 10 voucher and wheelbarrow prize pack was awarded to Kenderdine Road, Papatoetoe. It showcased the work of Kerry who, “with the help from staff, went from not knowing much about gardening to winning his category”.
Staff support award: Wayne and Paula of Centorian Drive, Auckland were awarded a $250 Mitre 10 voucher, “for their very welcoming garden that easily accommodates people with physical disabilities”.
