Steyning in Bloom best front gardens revealed after ‘extraordinary year’ puts gardeners to the test

Steyning gardeners have been put to the test in another extraordinary year but their efforts have paid off, with some magnificent entries in the 2019 Steyning in Bloom best front gardens competition.
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Judges toured the town in June and July and were delighted by the various planting schemes.

Elisabeth Harden, from the Steyning in Bloom committee, said: “This has been another extraordinary year, with periods of intense heat and plants determined to appear much earlier than expected – a real test for gardeners.

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Residents have, as always, put a great deal of effort, creativity and enthusiasm into their gardens, with some magnificent results.

Patsy Walton's garden at 15 Penlands Rise, Steyning in Bloom best front gardens winnerPatsy Walton's garden at 15 Penlands Rise, Steyning in Bloom best front gardens winner
Patsy Walton's garden at 15 Penlands Rise, Steyning in Bloom best front gardens winner

“We look for overall design, best use of space and clever landscaping, variety of planting, the wellbeing of the plants, general tidiness and, of course, the wow factor.

“Judging is always a delightful task, so many people have done amazing things, whether it is window box or tub, or a larger patch, and it’s always difficult picking out the winners.”

Winner Patsy Walton impressed with her varied planting and massed containers at 15 Penlands Rise. The judges loved it and said ‘the show just goes on and on’.

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Runner-up Liz Blake had created an explosion of colour and clever ideas at 24 Penlands Vale.

Liz Blake's garden at 24 Penlands Vale, Steyning in Bloom best front gardens runner-upLiz Blake's garden at 24 Penlands Vale, Steyning in Bloom best front gardens runner-up
Liz Blake's garden at 24 Penlands Vale, Steyning in Bloom best front gardens runner-up

Further down the road, Sue Howley, at 54 Penlands Vale, was also a runner-up, having created a patchwork of gentle colours and textures.

The third runner-up, Val and Richard Stringer, at 24 Saxon Road, filled her garden to the brim with brilliant colours and interesting planting.

Elisabeth added: “We continue to be impressed by the completeness of the rows of cottage gardens at Dingemans Court, each one slightly different, vibrant, quirky and very personal.

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“They are generally tended by the fitter members of the community, an excellent and heart-warming example of corporate gardening.

Sue Howley's garden at 54 Penlands Vale, Steyning in Bloom best front gardens runner-upSue Howley's garden at 54 Penlands Vale, Steyning in Bloom best front gardens runner-up
Sue Howley's garden at 54 Penlands Vale, Steyning in Bloom best front gardens runner-up

“Penns Court gardens and Maltings Green have the same wonderful atmosphere.

“The Star, with its hanging baskets and banks of flowers at the side entrance, is the worthy winner of the best business frontage.”

Both H.J. Burts estate agents and The Basement, in High Street, were highly commended in the best business frontage category.

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Special commendations went to 20 Rosemary Avenue, Pilgrim Cottage in Mill Road, The Bungalows at Dingemans Court and 102 Shooting Fields.

Val and Richard Stringer's garden at 24 Saxon Road, Steyning in Bloom best front gardens runner-upVal and Richard Stringer's garden at 24 Saxon Road, Steyning in Bloom best front gardens runner-up
Val and Richard Stringer's garden at 24 Saxon Road, Steyning in Bloom best front gardens runner-up

Highly commended front gardens were 3 Breach Close, 41 Charlton Street, Court Cottage in Church Street, 5 Church Street, 7 Greenacres, 16 High Street, 111 High Street, York Cottage in High Street, Mill House in High Street, Hollands in Holland Road, 3 Ingram Road, 45 Kings Barn Lane, 73 Kingstone Avenue, 4 Laines Road, Maltings Green as a group commmendation, 18 Market Fields, Cynara in Charlton Street, 7 Middle Mead, 27 Mill Road, 43 Penfold Way, 17 Penlands Rise, 107 Penlands Vale, 109 Penlands Vale, 35 Penlands Vale, 43 Penlands Vale, 34 Roman Road, 7 Rosemary Avenue, 14 Rosemary Avenue, 5 Shooting Fields and 7 Shooting Fields.

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