50 years of gardening pays off for the Andrews

Ron and Glyn Andrew came third in the Christchurch Beautifying Association’s Spring Garden...
Ron and Glyn Andrew came third in the Christchurch Beautifying Association’s Spring Garden Competition. PHOTO: GEOFF SLOAN
Ron and Glyn Andrew have been married for 50 years and gardening for just as many.

The Cashmere couple’s years of experience in the gardenhelped them finish third equal in the Christchurch Beautifying Association’s Spring Garden Competition.

Mr Andrew, who is the association’s president, said their garden often includes a range of different plants and flowers.

Said Mr Andrew: “Most of them are green shrubs and hostas and things right at this moment because we just pulled all of the flowers out. It’s all set out nice.

“I’m a real fan of rhododendrons and hostas and the odd camellia.”

He loves watching his plants grow.

“When you plant shrubs and flowers, it’s just great to see them come out. It’s just beautiful to see the gardens once you see them up and running,” Mr Andrew said.

Although Mrs Andrew says she is not able to help with the physical side of gardening, she still plays a role in making it look beautiful.

“I sort of design all of the colours and decide what we should buy and what we shouldn’t buy and things like that,” she said.

She was “very pleased” to finish third and felt their hard work had paid off.

“It’s nice when you drive into the street because there are two or three properties down our end that all look really brilliant and so we get lots of people around to see them and they enjoy looking at them.”
Award winners from theSouthern View area:

•Andrews Trophy: 2nd Jenny and Jim Clifford, 33 Euphraise Drive, Halswell; 3rd Glyn and Ron Andrew, 23 Molesworth Pl, Cashmere.

•Andrews Trophy certificate of merit: Ursula Schmidke, 25 Molesworth Pl, Cashmere; Diana Madgin, 132 Port Hills Rd, Heathcote; Allan and Margret Shears, 49 Richmond Ave, Halswell.

•Secret Garden: 3rd Allan and Margret Shears, 49 Richmond Ave, Halswell.

•Secret Garden certificate of merit: Diana Madgin, 132 Port Hills Road, Heathcote.

•Gray Trophy (novice) certificate of merit: Faith McIvor, Villa 25, 5 Corbett Cres, Halswell; Anne Lester, Villa 23, 5 Corbett Cres, Halswell; Ricky Chapman, 2 Muir Ave, Halswell.

•Clark Everett Cup certificate of merit: Faith McIvor, Villa 25, 5 Corbett Cres, Halswell; Anne Lester, Villa 23, 5 Corbett Cres, Halswell; Ricky Chapman, 2 Muir Ave, Halswell.

•Peter Lawrence Trophy: 3rd Anthony Wilding Retirement Village, 5 Corbett Cres, Halswell.

•Peter Lawrence Trophy certificate of merit: Linrose Village, 472 Linwood Ave, Woolston; Archer Village, 166 Colombo St, Beckenham; Thorrington Village, 51 Birdwood Ave, Beckenham.