A big thanks to our chief judge, gardening guru Melanie Walker
Melville Best Pavements Competition – all the winners with commentary by chief judge Melanie Walker. Congratulations to all who entered and all who have made their pavements look so good.
We have listed winners in four categories and commendations for a number of other pavements.
Overall Winner 2017
Retired horticulturalist Johann Swart is the OVERALL WINNER OF THE MELVILLE BEST PAVEMENTS COMPETITION - for the TWO lovely pavements he has created at 117 and 126 3rd Avenue. Here is what the judges had to say: "The judges were delighted to find these two lovely gardens across the road from each other. They manage to combine excellent pedestrian access with mature and well planted gardens that are waterwise and mostly indigenous. 126 3rd Ave has a spectacular collection of flowing grass aloes and a beautiful combination of grey and orange planting. 117 is rich and wild with the green denseness balanced by touches of grey and white. These are fine examples of low-maintenance pavement gardens. Well done to the owners and all involved in their creation and maintenance.”
Winner: Best Water-Wise pavement
65A 7th Ave -This is a good robust pavement with a narrow but accessible path, great aloes, mostly indigenous and with nice colour combinations and good use of grasses. We appreciated the form and balance and congratulate this one for being best water wise garden.
Winner: Best Edible Garden
Congratulations to Ryan Jarrett at 11c 4th Stree (corner of 6th Ave) - and a special posthumous mention to Erika Schutze who first began to plant salads and veg on her much loved pavement garden. The judges wish more people used their pavements to grow food
Winner: Most Improved Pavement
Wellness on 4th at 88 4th Ave. The creators of this garden are commended for removing most of the spiky agaves which previously intruded onto the pavement. They have replaced them with a lovely collection of indigenous succulents which will over time form a magnificent display. During these early years of this garden it would be good to see a combination of a few bigger-leaved plants to give the garden balance and a focal feature. The lawn section of the pavement is well maintained but needs a lot of water and attention. Consider turning it into a rockery and succulent garden.”
Commendations
COMMENDATION 26 8th St/corner 7th Ave
This is a really beautiful cottage garden that perfectly matches its house. Great colour combination in a cool and calming arrangement, with good flow and pleasingly waterwise. Good to see edible day lilies too. Well done for such a lovely pavement. It is a pity that the pavement blocks pedestrian access otherwise this garden could have been a winner.
This garden has a lovely collection of succulents and good pedestrian access. It is also waterwise.
This is a very pretty and abundant garden, nicely filled in and featuring a good collection of roses, agapanthus, Lamb’s ears and photinia. It is also very waterwise and a joy to look at. It is unfortunate that this garden totally blocks pedestrian access to the pavement, otherwise this would have been a strong contender as a potential winner. Hopefully next year we will see a path through this lovely garden.
If all businesses in Melville made this much effort then the suburb would look much better. This is a water wise garden making good use of succulents. We recommend that the garden be weeded and the ivy removed and that some more planting be done on the concrete terracing. There is scope for even more succulents here too. Well done to Puma.
