TWO retired maths teachers chalked up the best large garden in Bolton-le-Sands' village horticultural competition.

Judges awarded the Len Parkinson Trophy to Peter and Teresa Waddington, of Coastal Road, whose wildlife-friendly grounds feature a lily pond, stream, vegetable plots, summer house and carefully tended borders.

"We are really pleased," said Mrs Waddington. "My husband in particular has done a lot of work on it in the last year, rearranging things in the garden, and it does look nice."

The couple live with their disabled son, Peter, 23, and Mrs Waddington said the garden was designed to create pleasurable surroundings.

Meanwhile, competition stalwart Bernard Gladstone picked up two cups for best small garden and best patio garden, at Mill Lane. The retired Mitchell's Brewery worker almost did not enter because of weeks of poor weather and his wins were "entirely unexpected".

Mr Gladstone has created "a jungle atmosphere" with shrubs and ground cover to "fill all the spaces", and his favourite plant is the Rodgersia, whose leaves resemble the Gunnera, or giant rhubarb.

"I've got failing eyesight so everything has to be done by feel, rather than sight," he told the Gazette. Having notched up eight wins and three second places over the years, he now plans to retire from the Bolton-le-Sands Horticultural Society competition.

Judges visited 14 gardens - up on previous years - and praised their "very high" standard. Trophies will be presented at Bolton-le-Sands Summer Flower Show, at the community centre, on Saturday, August 13, from 2pm. The deadline for entries - open flowers/plants, open fruit/vegetables, local flowers, local fruit/vegetables, floral art, home craft, handicraft and children's - is August, 11. For more, contact show secretary Louise Belcher on 01524-824191 or email wizbelcher@gmail.com

Results. Large Garden, Len Parkinson trophy: 1 Mr & Mrs Waddington, 138 Coastal Road; 2 Sandy James, 34 Whitendale Drive; 3 = L & A Buck, 2A Ancliffe Lane. C & W Hargreaves, 35 Slyne Rd. Small Garden, Arthur Briggs trophy: 1 Bernard Gladstone, 22 Mill Lane; 2 R & M Colhoun, 19 St Michael's Lane; 3 Joyce Morse, 31 Mill Lane. Patio Garden, Harold & Mary Pennington Trophy: 1st. B. Gladstone, 22 Mill Lane; 2nd. R & M Colhoun, 19 St Michael's Lane; 3 J. Morse, 31 Mill Lane.