Woollahra Council announces Mark Moran Vaucluse as overall winner of garden awards

Outstanding local green thumbs were recognised today at the relaunched Woollahra Garden Awards

Best Overall Garden winner, Mark Moran Vaucluse representatives with judges Diana Fisher OAM (l), Woollahra Mayor Peter M Cavanagh and Indira Naidoo (r).

Outstanding local gardens were recognised today at the relaunched Woollahra Garden Awards.

Woollahra Municipality is known for its stunning parks and gardens and Council established the Awards to encourage gardening and the community members and groups whose green spaces help to enhance our local environment.

The entries were judged by Indira Naidoo, author of best-selling gardening book The Edible Balcony and 2CH radio host; television and radio personality Diana Fisher OAM, and Woollahra Mayor Peter Cavanagh.

The Botanica at Mark Moran Vaucluse, with greenery designed by Charlie Albone.

The judges were extremely impressed with the high standards of all entries, and had a difficult but enjoyable task in choosing the Best Overall Garden and category winners.

WINNERS

Best Garden (Overall): Mark Moran Vaucluse

Best Small Garden: Joan Dobell-Brown — Kent Road Verge Garden, Rose Bay

Best Community / School Garden: Rose Bay Community Garden

Best Sustainable Garden — Derby Street Community Project, Vaucluse

Lily Nabung -2 and her mum Marika Nabung at Rose Bay Community Garden in its early days. Picture: John Appleyard

“Local councils have always been at the forefront of greening our communities so it’s exciting to see Woollahra Council supporting and encouraging its residents to build beautiful gardens. I was impressed that all the gardens demonstrated a serious commitment to sustainability practices,” Indira Naidoo said.

Diana Fisher OAM said, “I was amazed at the ingenuity and inventiveness of our gardeners. The Rose Bay Community Garden in particular was a splendid big surprise with so much to admire — I loved the small solar panels working the recycling bins making compost and the incredible mix of vegetables and flowers.”

Mark and Evette Moran at their business Mark Moran Vaucluse.

Cr Cavanagh congratulated the winners, and praised the standards on display in all of this year’s entries.

“We were very pleased with the standards this year. Mark Moran Vaucluse stood out for us as a garden that was not only beautiful and engaging, but also welcoming and open to the general public,” the Mayor said.

“We were all amazed at the quality of the design and the way in which the garden was being enjoyed and shared in such a public way. They are a fine example of how a local business can activate open, green spaces for the benefit of the whole community.”