Wilf enjoys sweet smell of success

Wilf Ford with casts of hand to make a centre piece for the display.

A peace garden created by Wilf Ford, along with his family and friends, has been awarded a silver gilt at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park.

It was just one point away from a gold award and praised by the judges.

Mr Ford, of Sussex Close, Hindley, said: “It’s absolutely fabulous. We have done it as family and friends with our sponsor.

Wilf Ford's garden at Tatton Flower Show

“We are made up with it. We expected a bronze.

“The judges said we were the only garden this year from all the gardens they have been to that used traditional bedding and they said it was nice to see it being used again.

“The sculpture in the centrepiece, they said there was nothing like it.”

The garden, which was designed by 66-year-old Mr Ford, features 4,000 bedding plants, with white flowers including peace lilies.

There are peace symbols such as doves and four people who worked to bring peace - Bob Geldof, John Lennon, Terry Waite and Princess Diana.

At the centre of the garden, sponsored by Imaan Pharmacy, is a large globe made from 300 horse shoes.

Mr Ford plans to turn the globe into a water feature for his garden at next year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

It is the third consecutive year that Mr Ford and his team have been recognised at Tatton.

Last year, they received silver gilt for a creation based on The Road to Wigan Pier.

And in 2014 they became the first social housing tenants to design a garden for a national show and they picked up a silver award.

The garden will be on display at Tatton until tomorrow and Mr Ford said visitors had been flocking to see it.

He praised the hard work of everyone involved with the garden.

The team will next focus on exhibiting their work at St John’s Church in Hindley in September and begin planning their entry for Chelsea.

Visitors to Tatton Park or people driving in the area have been urged to plan ahead and check traffic conditions before setting off.

Although Highways England is not anticipating major traffic issues, it is likely that many drivers heading to the show will use the M56, A556 and M6 and there could be some congestion.

They are also advising drivers heading to the show to stick to any signed routes to minimise the chance of delays.