Towergate Insurance recently held a garden competition designed to showcase the benefits that gardening and the great outdoors can bring to care home residents. Competitors were encouraged to be as creative as possible and Towergate Insurance suggested that they send in a poem, a drawing or painting, a written memory, short story or a photo – anything creative linked to the benefits of gardening.

Mantles Court has its own Gardening Club and when they heard about the competition they were keen to submit an entry. There were so many options that they could choose from but ultimately they decided that they would write a poem and, when it was finished, send it in with an accompanying photograph of residents Freda and Margaret enjoying the garden.

Here is the lovely poem they created:

Mantles Court is aimed at fun

Even the gardening has to be done

To engage and enjoy is the goal

Produce we grow, so good for the soul

Time and care to keep it all growing

Flowers and veg are overflowing

Creative we are with help when it’s needed

Rewards in abundance, no doubt from the seeded

Tomatoes, pumpkins and even plum trees

Lavender and herbs spreading scent in the breeze

Freda and Margaret would get so much pleasure

Seeing more birds in the garden making memories to treasure

Bits for the garden would be greatly received

Residents smiling at what they’ve achieved

They submitted their entry and, after the competition closed, were contacted to say that they were one of the ten winning entries and that the judges absolutely loved their submission!

As a prize they were given a garden bundle which includes a bench, a bird box with camera, a bird bath and a feeding station.

Well done Mantles Court! A thoroughly well-deserved win!