Many families will be looking with pride this summer as their flowers, shrubs, and trees blossom in the sunlight.
The Oxford in Bloom competition encouraged them to brighten their communities with a show of colour
Sadly, today many front gardens have become eyesores, with flower beds and lawns replaced by ugly tarmac, slabs and shale, and turned into car parks.
But thankfully, some have always regarded their gardens as places of beauty, as four of these photographs from 2011 show.
The Oxford Mail reported at the time: “Months of hard work pruning, watering, and deadheading are over and Oxford’s top gardeners have been announced.
“The winners of this year’s Oxford Mail backed Oxford in Bloom competition – celebrating its Silver Jubilee year – were presented with certificates and trophies to reward all that hard work in the garden.”
The prizes were handed out by TV presenter Wesley Smith at Roman Way Social Club in Cowley.
Judge Trisha Stevens said: “It was beautiful to go round all the gardens and everyone who entered should be congratulated because they have worked so hard.
“It’s been quite a difficult year because it was very dry then very wet, so the results they have achieved are remarkable.”
Picture one shows Charlie-Ann Andrews and Shelby Tutt in the winning garden at Pegasus Primary School at Blackbird Leys, while in picture two, we see Sue Milner, of Cherwell Drive, Marston, in her best-kept large garden.
Petar Milka, of Milka’s guest house in Iffley Road, in picture three, scooped gold in the small commercial category and in picture four, Jayne Payne proudly stands in her winning garden with 48 hanging baskets in Burchester Avenue, Headington.
Mrs Payne, who spent at least three hours in the garden most days, said: “Because I am not able to get around so much, it is really nice to have something to focus on, especially something where you can see an end result.”
Other winners that year included Chris Perks, of Palmer Road, Wood Farm, and mental health charity Restore’s Beehive Garden in Manzil Way, off Cowley Road.
Picture five shows some of the winners of the 2008 competition while, in picture six, Pat Clark, of Finch Close, Headington, celebrates his success the same year.