Seeds of success

Winners of last year's Best Full Garden category, Barrie and Marie Allsopp, standing on the pebble beach which they created in their garden. "We started it from scratch," says Barrie.

Last year's Hull in Bloom winners were presented with awards in a ceremony at the Guildhall

Above: another of last year's winners was Dennis Shaw, of Arthur Lucan Close, east Hull, who won Best Senior Citizen's Garden category for his garden

With spring on the way, it's time to dig in and get your garden ready for Hull in Bloom 2007. Hull in print revisits one of last year's winning entries.

Although the cold, dark days are gradually giving way to spring's lighter weather, it still takes a bit of imagination to feel like it could be summer by the sea.
However, Barrie and Marie Allsopp, of Wansbeck Road, East Hull, get away from it all every time they step into their garden.
Just yards from their back door, they have built an imitation coastline with a slate sea and a pebble beach, which they entered in last year's Hull in Bloom competition.
It made a splash with last year's judges, winning the Best Full Garden category.
"We started this from scratch when we moved in 10 years ago," says Mr Allsopp, 68.
"We're council tenants and it always saddens us when estates get bad press, because a lot of good people live there."
Barrie and Marie's garden also includes a colourful array of plants such as yuccas and roses - most of which were grown from seed - and a fish pond.
"We're Christians and the garden has a spiritual significance for us. It's somewhere we can take in the sheer wonder of it all," Barrie adds.

Flower Power

Meanwhile, organisers of this year's Hull in Bloom competition are urging people to enter.
The competition has many categories, including best front garden, best back garden, best hanging basket and best-kept allotment. There are also categories for schools, pubs, community gardens, wildlife gardens and industrial premises.
Hull City Council's Horticultural Officer Simon Race said: "The competition promotes civic pride by helping the city look its best. We are looking forward to receiving this year's entries.
"The closing date is June 30, so it's now time to start thinking about getting your application in."

Hull launches Yorkshire-wide competition

Hull was chosen ahead of communities across Yorkshire to be the launch pad of the region-wide Yorkshire in Bloom competition.
The competition was launched in a ceremony at the Guildhall attended by Lord Mayor of Hull Cllr Trevor Larsen, Deputy Lord Mayor Cllr Brenda Petch, and Yorkshire in Bloom representatives.