Fifty kilometres from Singleton, amidst spectacular views of endless bushland is the winning garden of Jenny and Allan Campbell.
Jenny is the gardener and the creator and Allan describes himself as the man behind the wheelbarrow.
It is the first time the couple entered the garden competition and there was much more behind their inspiration than either the prize or the title.
Jenny’s father, Lloyd Burgmann, was an avid gardener when he was alive. He won the grand champion garden title in Singleton in 1980.
Each day, as Jenny tends to her garden, she thinks of her father.
He is her inspiration.
The Campbells entered the competition in his memory and when the garden was announced winner of its category, household garden not on town water, she shed tears in his memory.
When also named grand champion, Jenny’s head dropped into her hands and she sobbed.
No doubt her dad was looking over her, proud as punch.
“I went home and rang my sister and we just cried, she knew what this meant to me, she knew I had this thing with dad and the garden,” Jenny said.
It was the views that captured the couple’s heart when they bought the 100 acre property back in 1997.
There was only a couple of trees and the bare paddock was nothing more than grass tussocks.
“I was always told to start a garden around the home and it will spread,” Jenny said.
And spread it did.
Allan refused to erect fences, saying they interfered with the view and the feeling of open space.
That decision meant it wasn’t just the weather and the weeds that impacted the garden.
Add kangaroos and bandicoots to the equation and Jenny soon discovered what plants the creatures liked to devour.
“I learnt to plant the species they don’t like,” Jenny said.
The kangaroos aren’t all bad news. Jenny said the consistent rainfall of Mount Royal mixes in well with the kangaroo poo to provide a perfect balance of natural fertiliser.
Visitors to the garden will see the influence of Jenny’s Aboriginal heritage and you can’t help but be inspired by the power of nature with stunning views across the mountain.
It was always Jenny’s ambition to enter the Singleton Garden Competition but when it came around each year, she kept putting it off.
“I kept saying I wasn’t ready and this year Allan said we were never going to be ready, there is always going to be something to do,” Jenny said.
Not for one second did they think they would win the grand champion title but anyone who visits the garden will soon see why.
Judges comments
THE Singleton Tidy Towns Garden Competition was judged by Margaret Brennan.
She made the following comments:
The gardens in the 2010 Tidy Towns Garden Competition illustrate our changing attitudes to gardening.
It was encouraging to see more entries in the Vegetable Garden Section.
More people are becoming aware of the many benefits and pleasures of growing their own food.
All the vegetable gardens we saw are different, but all are productive and well cared for. Fruit trees and herbs are not forgotten – along with the chooks and compost bins.
All of the gardens in the competition were the results of much hard work, dedication and love.
They were all unique in plant selection and combination, design and ambience – reflections of each gardener’s personality and situation.
This makes judging very interesting, as well as extremely difficult.
Generally, maintenance was very good. Best of all, sustainable garden practices are slowly becoming more widely used.
This is an excellent prospect for our close environment and the wider world.
Thank you to all the entrants – without you there is no competition.
Congratulations to all the prize winners.
Try to visit each other’s gardens and be inspired by the range of great gardens we are lucky to have in the Singleton area.
The judging criteria included: Ambience and atmosphere; Sustainability; Landscaping qualities of layout, variety, diversity, structures, paths, natural and manmade features; Plant culture and quality; Design principles of colour, size, shape, texture, repetition, use of space and flow; Maintenance of soil, mulches, weeds, irrigation, lawns and ground surfaces, edges and paths; The vegetable gardens are assessed with the added criteria of variety, continuity and planning; The Novelty Event was judged according to colour, plant suitability and imaginative creation.
RESULTS:
Grand champion 2010 Jenny and Allan Campbell 71 Cassels Rd, Mount Royal.
Household Garden Winner Ron and Joan Stokes 27 Dangar Rd, Singleton; Runner Up John Francis/Robyn Crittenden 13 Barton Avenue, Singleton.
Household Garden not on Town Water Winner Jenny and Allan Campbell; Runner Up Denis and Julie Pearce 119 Fern Gully Rd, Singleton.
Community or Educational Facility Winner King Street School; Runner Up Senior Citizens.
Sustainable Garden Winner Helen Upward 95 Inlet Rd, Bulga; Runner Up Trish and Kevin Patterson 595 Dyring Road, Singleton.
Good Neighbours Award John Francis/Robyn Crittenden, Bruce Biden 13 and 15 Barton Ave, Singleton.
Household Vegetable Garden Award Rob Baker, 295 Wattle Ponds Rd, Wattle Ponds.
Novelty Event Award - In a Bucket Anthony Andrews [aged 8years].
Public Choice Award Pam Wright 166 Dights Crossing Rd, Maison Dieu.
Encouragement Awards Bruce Biden 15 Barton Avenue, Singleton, Groucutt Family 2 Druce Smith Place Wattle Ponds, Lutzia and Philip Uerbergang 74 Pioneer Rd, Hunterview.
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