Rainy or hot weather won’t deter Sue Guirguis from a spot of gardening.
“Just give me a radio and I’ll be out there for hours,” she said.
And her time among the roses hasn’t gone unnoticed. At Whittlesea Community Festival in March, the Epping resident was named as having the municipality’s ‘best front garden’.
The judging panel said Ms Guirguis’s garden overflowed with colour and variety.
“The arrangement of different textures, foliage and colour have been layered in such a way that each plant complements the next.
“Surrounding the perfectly maintained vibrant green lawn is an abundance of flowers in bloom, which are alive with butterflies and bees, also creating beautiful fragrances,” one judge said.
VELUPILLAI THURAIRATNAM IN HIS LUSH EDIBLE GARDEN. (SUPPLIED)
Ms Guirguis said she was surprised by the win, adding that gardening was one of life’s great joys.
“It’s very peaceful and it keeps me grounded,” she said. “I even like the weeding.”
Her environmental awareness also impressed the judges. She uses a 3000-litre tank for all her watering and puts straw mulch on her garden beds to conserve moisture.
Velupillai Thurairatnam, also of Epping, took out the competition’s ‘best edible garden’ prize.
The Sri Lankan-born maths tutor has fruit trees, including banana, lime and pomegranate, and grows vegetables and medicinal plants.
His wife, Kala, says she’ll find him in the garden in the mornings and evenings tending his shallots, carrots, leeks or curry plant.
The former accountant is known to give his produce away to neighbours and friends.
The council’s garden competition, now in its 21st year, encourages environmentally friendly gardening. Next year’s competition opens in December.
