GREEN-fingered success has been recognised at this year’s Basingstoke in Bloom competition.

There were nearly 50 entries to this year’s event, in which residents, businesses, schools and community groups could show off their hard work in the garden.

Independent RHS-accredited judges viewed the entries, before deciding on the winners and runners-up.

St Mary’s Junior School, in Old Basing, was the clear winner of the schools category, achieving 99 points out of a possible 100.

The best commercial garden accolade was won by Absolutely Offices, in Chineham, while first prize for best container went to Ray and Sue Ingleby.

The best small garden prize was awarded to Ellen Cook, of Woodlands, Chineham. The top spot for environmental garden went to David Tagg, of Ivar Gardens, Lychpit, and Brian and Tanya Ball, of Windermere Avenue, Kempshott, were declared the winners of the best medium/large garden, and the hanging basket category.

The couple are part of the Basingstoke in Bloom committee, and were particularly pleased to have won the category of best medium/large garden, which attracted 17 entries.

Mrs Ball, chair of Basingstoke in Bloom, said: “The slightly lower numbers of entries compared to 2013 was offset by the very high standard of some of the winning entries, who scored in excess of 80 per cent of the maximum points achievable in most categories.”

She added: “From a personal point of view, after coming very close over recent years, my husband Brian and I are absolutely delighted to have won not just one, but both categories we entered.

“It is an amazing outcome for many months of consistent hard work since February of this year, and the favourable weather in the final weeks enabled everything to peak at the right time.”

Catherine Waters-Clark, who founded local charity Inspero, was delighted her team won the best community garden category, for the group’s garden at Kempshott Village Hall, in Pack Lane.

She said: “It was brilliant to win. It was our first year of entering, and we had only been working on it for seven months, changing it from being a place of wasteland to how pretty it looks now. It’s amazing.

“It’s a completely volunteer-led venture. We have lots of herbs, vegetables and flowers.”