Evelyn, of Stamford Road, Blacon, was presented with £100 at an awards ceremony held in the Trust's base at Centurion House, Northgate Street.

Overall second prize and £50 went to Barry and Jean Ravenscroft, of Rutland Place, Newton, while third prize and £25 was presented to Linda Hesketh, of Pinfold Lane, Handbridge.

The Best Young Gardener award and £50 was presented to under 16s joint winners Alfie and Charlie Sheridan, of Furne Road and Aaron Lilley, of Graham Road, both Blacon.

Residents Mr McPherson and Mr Jones won the Best Sheltered Scheme for their garden at Chapel Close, Saughall.

There was also a prize for Best Balcony/Window Box, won by Angela Mackenzie, of Haygarth Heights, Newtown.

Best Newcomer was awarded to Joanne Parsons, of Lache.

Organiser Sara Morley, the CDHT neighbourhood enterprise co-ordinator, said: "We were so pleased and lucky to be able to see so many beautiful gardens. Thanks to everyone involved, the competition is blossoming.

"There is a growing passion for gardening amongst our residents and the region, reflected in the high standard of this year's entries in what is Cheshire's Year of the Gardens."

This year, CDHT secured funding from Cheshire Year of Gardens 08 and sponsorship from Vale Contract Services and Kiwi Nurseries, of Sealand Road, Chester.


Individual neighbourhood winners were:

Blacon North – 1, Evelyn Jackson, 133 Stamford Road; 2, Malcolm Lewis, 32 Wordsworth Crescent; 3, Mr and Mrs Field, 240 Shelley Road.

Blacon South – 1, Chris Taylor, Wyndham Road; Mrs Mead, 14 Cheyron Hey; Mr Allman, 2 Chevron Hey.

City – 1, Marian Armstrong, 24 Kingfisher Court, Northgate Village; 2, Ian Clulow, 20 Orchard Court, Chester; 3, Angela Mackay, 2 Queens Road, Chester.

Lache and Handbridge – 1, Linda Hesketh, 2 Pinford Lane, Handbridge; 2, Mrs Nicholas, 14 Sycamore Drive, Lache; 3, Dennis Dunne, 19 Oak Road, Lache.

Rurals – 1, Joan Eaken, 14 The Square, Christleton; 2, Jack Pollard, 24A Harding Avenue, Tattenhall; 3, Mrs O Taylor, 2 Springfield Road, Malpas.

Balcony/window box – 1, Angela MacKenzie, 82 Haygarth Heights, Newtown; 2, Allan Thrasher and Helen Peppitt; 73 Kingsway, Newton; 3, Angela Traynor, 6 St Annes, Newtown.

Best newcomer – Joanne Parsons, 136 Sycamore Drive, Lache.

Juniors – Alfie Sheridan, four, and Charlie Sheridan, eight, 1 Furne Road Blacon and Aaron Lilley, 15, 43 Graham Road, Blacon, who was also last year's winner.

Best sheltered scheme – 1, Chapel Close, Saughall (residents Mr McPherson and Mr Jones); 2, Leyfield Court, Lache (resident Helen Noble and managers Richard Johnson and Sandra Hughes); 3, Kingfisher Court, Northgate Village (resident Marian Armstrong and manager Dave Ashbolt).

Last year's overall winner came from Stirling Close, Vicars Cross.