Tendered care by gardener of year
A GREEN-fingered pensioner has won an award after doing up his care home’s garden
Green-fingered Tom Smith, 83, has been named Individual Gardener Of The Year by Durham County Council in recognition of his colourful flower beds and plant pots at Southfield Lodge Care Home in Crook.
Tom has been growing plants around the care home since he moved in six years ago and said gardening was his favourite past time.
It’s the second time he’s won the award in the council’s CREATE contest which recognises the hard work of care home tenants, service users and staff in developing and maintaining their gardens.
Tom, who is popular with the Lodge’s ladies for his bingo organising skills, said: “I enjoy gardening. I started when I was 40, my wife Loretta showed me how to do it and I’ve done it ever since.
“I start growing a lot of the plants in pots in my bedroom, then I move them to the green house before potting them outside.”
Tom has created several gardens around Southfield Lodge growing from seed flowers such as fuchsias, marigolds and sunflowers.
His planting prowess has also seen Southfield Lodge come second in the Best Containers category, third in Best Entrance and joint third with Harbour Lodge, Seaham in Best Special Feature for it's raised beds, which were described as a "riot of colour".
The competition was judged by local volunteers Margaret Willis and Mary Smith.
Mary said: “After four years, this was my final time of judging, but with entries being such high quality, experience didn’t make the task any easier,” Mary said.
Margaret said: “I feel privileged to have been involved in CREATE’s competition as it highlights the commitment of service users and staff and gives us the opportunity to reward their achievements.”
The winners have been invited to collect their awards at a ceremony at County Hall, Durham, on Tuesday, August 10.