When Merryn Lording bought her house in Whittlesea five years ago, the front garden was an overgrown mess of weeds and grass.
But bit by bit, the 57-year-old remodelled the space into something quite enchanting.
With the help of her partner, Brian Cole, she transformed a toolshed into a miniature cottage.
“She wanted it to be a bit magical,” said Brian, who goes by the nickname BC.
Last Sunday, BC received a call from Whittlesea mayor Ricky Kirkham, saying Ms Lording had won the council’s annual competition for “best front garden”.
It was the day after Ms Lording lost her mother to cancer, so the call was “a bit of light on a very rainy, dark weekend,” according to BC.
The honour was a surprise to Ms Lording. who didn’t even know BC had entered her into the council competition.
“What makes this special is she did it for herself. She wasn’t out to win a competition,” he said.
The Whittlesea Secondary College teacher’s aide was joined by Liam and Sarah Fish, who took out the “best edible garden” category for their array of vegetables and fruit plants.
The winners were officially announced at the Whittlesea Community Festival on March 15.
