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Danderhall Gardener Wins Contest

2020 Garden Contest WinnerA green-fingered tenant from Danderhall has won this year’s ‘Baxter Keiller Award’ for outstanding Melville Housing Association garden.

Ms Liz Kelly, a Melville tenant who lives in Woolmet Crescent, was chosen by the judging panel from entries covering the length and breadth of Midlothian and received a £100 prize for her winning garden. It’s the second time Ms Kelly has won the award.

In addition to the main prize, a new award for ‘Best use of a small space’ was presented for the first time this year. The £50 prize, designed to encourage everyone to get gardening during lockdown, was won by Ms Diane Gamrot and Mr Stuart Christie of Westhouses Road, Mayfield.

“In a year that’s been so difficult for everyone, it was fantastic to see so many wonderful entries for this year’s contest,” said Andrew Noble, Melville Chief Executive. “Seeing all the hard work that goes into these gardens is something I’ll really miss once I retire at the end of the year, but I’m delighted to make my final garden presentation to Ms Kelly, who thoroughly deserves this year’s top prize.

“At the same time we were all extremely saddened to learn of the recent death of Mr Robert Collins, who won this prize for the second time last year. Mr Collins was an outstanding gardener and visiting his garden in Penicuik was always a joy. I would like to extend our sympathies to his wife and family.”

The third and final prize in this year’s contest went to Mrs Lesley MacKinnon of Rowantree Road, Mayfield who picked up a £25 voucher.

Now in its sixth year, the ‘Baxter Keiller Award’ is named in honour of a keen Mayfield gardener and Melville tenant who sadly passed away in 2014. Melville set up a gardening competition to recognise the work done in 2007 by Baxter, along with his neighbour Christine McGrouther, transforming a patch of Mayfield wasteland into a fantastic community garden.

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