GREEN fingered residents at Cheshire West and Chester’s largest housing association are being asked to take part in their annual gardening competition.

As gardens are beginning to bloom, Chester & District Housing Trust (CDHT) is announcing to their residents that their third Garden Competition is under way.

Last year, there were more than 70 entries and the standard was extremely high.

First, second and third prizes for Garden Competition 2009 winners will be awarded in each of CDHT’s six neighbourhoods and an overall winner will also be announced. Categories include Best Window Box or Balcony, Best Sheltered Scheme, Best Vegetable Garden, Young Person's Award and Best Group of Gardens.

Organiser Sara Morley, CDHT neighbourhood enterprise coordinator, said: “This year all our staff will be on the lookout for resident's gardens to be entered into the competition and you can also nominate a garden that you feel is a winner.

“We look forward to seeing residents’ beautiful gardens in the summer and a big thank you to everyone involved. We are particularly encouraging children to enter the Young Person’s Award.”

Winners will receive vouchers and the overall champion will receive an engraved trophy. The overall winner of the Garden Competition for 2008 was Evelyn Jackson, of Stamford Road, Blacon.

Application forms for the Garden Competition 2009 are available from Centurion House, Northgate Street, Chester and from the Blacon office, The Parade, Blacon and the Lache office, Cliveden Road, Blacon.

Forms can also be downloaded from www.cdht.net or for a form to be posted contact the Trust on 0808 1007701.

The closing date is Friday, July 10 with judging to take place during the following week. Celebrity judges to be announced.