'Excellent allotments' and 'beautiful gardens' across the Bridport area have been highlighted as award-winning

The winners of the Melplash Agricultural Society's gardens and allotments competition have been announced.

The judges were Mr and Mrs Ian and Anne Bark - 2019 small garden winners - and Mrs Jo Sage - society chairman in 2018-19 - and they were accompanied by society president Mr Nigel Jones and society chairman Mr James Vickery. Mr Peter Yeates and Mr Cliff Pitcher were the stewards.

The winners were:

Allotments

1st - Mr Bob Link, Broadwindsor

Judges' comments: An excellent allotment. The range of fruit and vegetables being grown was impressive and all were in exceptionally good condition. Good use of companion planting. A tricky site with terraces made into the slope to create level beds. A lot of hard work has clearly gone into this.

2nd - Mr and Mrs John and Christine Studley, Hinton St George

3rd - Mr Geoff Fry, Puncknowle

Highly commended - Miss Alison Waterman, Bradpole

Small gardens

1st - Mrs Debbie McCarthy, Lyme Regis

Judges' comments: A special garden full of surprises. Planting was clever with masses of colour. The use of pots at different heights gave a delightful additional dimension. A lot of thought and emotion has gone into the individual spaces. An inside out garden that was beautifully dressed.

2nd - Mrs Val Bartlett, Bridport

3rd - Miss Alison Waterman, Bradpole

Medium gardens

1st - Mrs Christine Corson, Beaminster

Judges' comments: A beautiful garden which is a little oasis behind the busy town centre. The garden has been tamed and developed sympathetically; it is wildlife friendly, managed on sound ecological principles. We were particularly impressed with the use of willow to grow sweet peas and the use and combination of plants.

2nd - Mr and Mrs Peter and Barbara Lacey, Lyme Regis

3rd - Mr and Mrs Tim and Gill Tarling, Bridport

Large gardens

1st - Mr and Mrs Tim and Sibyl Gale, Bridport

Judges' comments: A beautiful contemporary rose garden and a lovely cool garden. The wildflower banks are brave but beautiful. Knowledge of plants is outstanding. Dining room garden when viewed from inside brings in the beauty of the planting. A subtle natural colour scheme.

2nd - Mr and Mrs John and Heather Coley, Ryall

Highly commended - Mrs Jo Rock, Powerstock

The overall winner of the garden and allotment competition is Mr and Mrs Sibyl and Tim Gale.

The special environmental award - the George Payne Memorial Trophy - went to Beyond the Archway Allotment, Bridport.

Judges' comments: The overall impression was stunning. We were extremely impressed by what has been achieved in two and a half years. The diversity of wildflowers, bees, pond, homemade fertiliser, recycling of materials was an outstanding example of an environmentally friendly space. An inaccessible site added to the challenge, but the gardeners were not undated and met it head on.

Society chairman James Vickery said: "It has been a great privilege to be able to visit the 20 gardens and allotments entered into this year's competition. All the entries were fantastic and really did showcase the hard work and dedication that had been given by the gardener.

"There was a wide variety and the standard was exceptional. I certainly did not envy the task of the judges.

"Thank you to everyone who took part and congratulations to all our winners. Everyone should be proud of what they have achieved even if they did not win this time."

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