First time entry for garden competition dedicated to mum

MT Tyson gardener Judy Riley-Thorpe’s first entry in the Chronicle Garden Competition is dedicated to her recently deceased mother.

Mt Tyson couple, Joe Rockemer and Judy Riley-Thorpe are entering their rural garden in the Chronicle Garden Competition. Carnival of Flowers. June 2018. Picture: Bev Lacey

MT Tyson gardener Judy Riley-Thorpe's first entry in the Chronicle Garden Competition is dedicated to her recently deceased mother.

Ms Riley-Thorpe and her partner Joe Rockemer have entered their garden in the Country Garden Class 7: Heritage Bank First Time Entrant section.

The gardener lost her mother in April and decided to not let her mother's death keep her from participating in the competition.

Ms Riley-Thorpe and her family had nothing for a garden when they moved into the old dairy farm eight years ago.

The garden has been designed to be practical and to incorporate pieces from the old dairy farm that were left behind.

"There was nothing here, there were only four or five established trees," she said.

"The first thing we did was plant trees and shrubs to act not only as privacy but as windbreaks.

"We also used some old gates that were left here. There was even an old plough that was buried in the paddock which we dug up and placed in the garden."

Ms Riley-Thorpe said she was excited to be part of the gardening competition.

The Chronicle would like to thank their sponsors Toowoomba Regional Council and Heritage Bank.

Entries for the Chronicle Garden Competition are open. Forms will be published once a week in The Chronicle. The closing date is Monday, July 30.

For more information click here.

Originally published as First time entry for garden competition dedicated to mum