Last year it was a ‘Garden in a Boot’ for the gardening competition’s novelty section, but this year there is even more scope for the Andrews kids to build a garden of their dreams.

Josh Andrews and his younger brother Anthony and his sisters, Jacqueline and Natalie, have spent many hours with their grandmother in her Rawcliffe Street garden in Singleton.

They are excited about putting their own personal touch to their bucket gardens and pleased that grandma is such a keen gardener who loves to get her hands dirty.

And for Jan Andrews, who has spent many happy hours with her grandchildren in her Rawcliffe Street garden, she is pleased they all have a love of gardening, even though they are not too impressed when they encounter some of the local wildlife.

Josh dislikes spiders and will run a mile to avoid them, whereas grandma doesn’t mind spiders or even snakes, but green frogs are another story altogether.

Thinking practically Josh is using lots of succulents in his bucket creation, but youngest sister Natalie wants lots of colour and being hardy is not a consideration, just as long as it looks good.

The Singleton Tidy Towns Garden Competition will be held on March 15 to 19.

Categories include household garden, household garden not on town water, new garden, commercial or industrial garden, community or educational facility garden, apartment/townhouse/multi dwelling and sustainable garden.

There are also awards for Best Vegetable Garden, Best Neighbour, Public Choice and, of course, the novelty event ‘Garden in a Bucket’ award.