The best gardens and gardeners in Richmond have been rewarded at a prize giving evening.

The 26th Richmond in Bloom Awards celebrated the efforts of green-fingered enthusiasts across the borough at York House on Tuesday (September 26).

Merit and award winners across ten categories were invited up to collected prizes.

Hampton Hill’s Jean Burman was the winner of the front gardens category and the overall Richmond and Twickenham Times trophy, which was presented on the night by editor Jim Palmer.

She said: “I’m very excited. I didn’t really expect it. I’ve been doing it now for four years and I’m chuffed.

“I bought my house 17 years ago and it was totally overgrown. Over the years I did the house and then the garden.

“Each year I have tried to do something different with it.

“This year I took the whole border out. My favourite place for plants is Kempton market so I go down there, fill the car and then in they go. It’s lots of manure and lots of hard work.

“The really lovely thing is that when people pass I just see them stop and look and if I’m out there they ask questions.”

Jean’s garden in St James’s Road is also part of the National Open Gardens Scheme, which raises money for charity.

The Square in Twickenham was named best commercial centre while Michel’s Almshouses was the best community building and The Sun Inn won best hotel or pub exterior.

The big award, the Schooling Cup for Best Village in Bloom 2017, was won by Kew. Richmond Council’s parks officer and judge Matt Almond described Kew’s as ‘the best station in London, maybe even the country’.

The list of category winners in full:

Front gardens – Jean Burman

Residential frontages – Sasha Belavokaya

Park and Bloom – Dennis and Anne Strudwick

Estates – Handel Mansions

Community Buildings – Michel’s Almshouses

Hotel or Pub Exterior – The Sun Inn, Richmond

Business Premises – Stone, Rowe Brewer, Courtyard

Commercial Centre – The Square, Twickenham

Richmond and Twickenham Times trophy – Jean Burman

Best Village in Bloom 2017 - Kew