Betty wins Kilcullen in Bloom garden competition

Betty Browne with judge Dave Clancy and competition organiser Eoin Houlihan.

The winner of the Front Garden competition held in conjunction with Kilcullen in Bloom was Betty Browne of Sunbury Close, writes Brian Byrne. Her prize was a €200 voucher for Markus Landscaping, and a €100 voucher for Brennans Hardware.

The runner-up garden was John and June Reddy's one in Bishop Rogan Park, which won them a €50 voucher for the Garden Shop in Kilcullen.

Hazel and Mick Spencer with Eoin Hoilihan and Dave Clancy.

The winning display in the Hanging Baskets competition was that put in place by Hazel and Mick Spencer of Hillside, who received a €100 voucher for Brennans. The runner-up was Eilis Coss of Bishop Rogan Park, who got a €50 Garden Shop voucher.

Mary Maguire with Eoin Houlihan, Dave Clancy and Ray Kelly.

The judges awarded a special prize of a €30 Garden Shop voucher to Mary Maguire, for the ‘garden likely to leave everyone with a smile on their face’.

Kilcullen in Bloom organiser Eoin Houlihan said the judges, led by Dave Clancy, were ‘tremendously impressed’ with the quality of the gardens and basket displays nominated for the competition, the first time it has been run.

“We thought that with people putting so much into their gardens, we should put something into them as a thank you for the support of the community for the Kilcullen in Bloom project,” he said.

Certificates were awarded for all 18 entries, to Mary and Frank Short, Old Kilcullen; Jack and Mary Kelly, Nicholastown; Hazel and Mick Spencer, Hillcrest; Jack and Clare Lamb, Nicholastown; Mrs Mary Maguire, Nicholastown; Margaret Lambe, Conroy Park; John and June Reddy, Bishop Rogan Park; Teresa Meaney, Conroy Park; Mick Dixon, Nicholastown; Sheila Peacocke, St Brigid's Avenue; Pat and Lorraine Kelly, Bishop Rogan Park; Betty Browne, Sunbury Close; Mary Brennan, Mile Mill Rd; Mrs Smith, Yellow Bog; Dolores Howard, Old Kilcullen; and Eilis Coss, Bishop Rogan Park.

After making a presentation to the main judge, floral designer Dave Clancy, the chair of Kilcullen Community Action/Tidy Towns Ray Kelly thanked the sponsors — Markus Pedersen, Brennans Hardware and the Garden Shop — for their support. Certificates of appreciation were given to them.

“We had excellent entries in the competition, but there are so many other great gardens around the town,” Ray Kelly noted. “I know that we can walk down the town and see the flowers, and that’s great, but it is really worth while to take a walk through some of the estates and see the impact that the work of residents has. I hope we’ll see many more of those gardens nominated next year.”

Some pictures from the presentation today below, all can be viewed here.