Green thumb boy wins big
BY RACHEL YOUNG
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Home and Garden
Marlborough's green thumbed young gardener, Joshua Marshall, has come second in a national gardening award.
The eight-year-old was runner-up in the NZ Gardener magazine's 2009 Gardener of the Year competition after winning the regional competition. He is the youngest regional winner to date.
The overall winner was Christchurch gardener Susan Dent, who won $5000 to spend at her local Bunnings Warehouse and a luxury weekend at the 2010 Ellerslie International Flower Show.
She won the supreme title, beating Joshua by 90 votes.
Joshua, who won $1000 for being named Marlborough's top gardener, was nominated for the competition for his gardening skills and his generosity. He gives most of his produce away to elderly neighbours, but he also enjoys them for his own dinner.
Carrots and celery are two favourites on his plate.
This morning, Joshua said he was excited and happy about his win.
He has two raised beds at his home that he tends by himself, and he harvests produce from them twice a week when the going is good. He said gardening was not that hard.
NZ Gardener editor Lynda Hallinan said Joshua proved that you were never too young to start gardening.
The annual competition aims to recognise and reward the nation's unsung horticultural heroes, with $20,000 in prizes on offer.
- The Marlborough Express
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