West Lancashire gardeners celebrate Southport Flower Show success

Aug 27 2009 by Michael Byrne, Ormskirk Advertiser

West Lancashire gardeners celebrate Southport Flower Show success

THE Tinsley family from Halsall are celebrating a hatrick of successes at the Southport Flower Show.

For the third successive year Peter Tinsley Landscaping won the Southport Corporation Cup for having the best large show garden.

They also won a gold medal for their display and the A Huxtable Esq Trophy for having the finest design incorporating water as a major element.

Peter Tinlsey and his son, also called Peter, worked on their display called Fellside Beck along with other members of the family.

These include Peter senior’s granddaughter Rosa, aged two.

Peter said: “We’re very pleased to have won these awards. This is a very challenging class and we have had to work hard to win it.”

“The designs are a family thing and we try to involve as many people as possible.

“I’m nearly 70 so I think gardening must be a secret to longevity.”

The family have taken their inspiration for this year’s design scenery found in the Lake District on visits to places such as Cartmel and Grange Over Sands.

They also used the 1920s theme of the show and the work of a well-known plantsman of time called Willam Robinson.

Another large garden to impress the judges was the creation by Stephen Roughley and Philip Aughton from Tarleton Specimen Plants.

They won the Percy C Woodhead Trophy for most imaginative non-competitive design with their display entitled ‘A Highland Stream’.

As the name suggests, the garden depicts a scene from the highlands of Scotland.

Philip said: “We’re pleased to have been given this trophy. We have entered competitions at the flower show before and won three golds.

“My father won eight golds here as well.”