A RIOT of colour in a village front garden bowled over the judges in an annual competition.

Ken Staton’s garden at The Almshouses in Roundbush, Aldenham, took first prize in the Radlett Horticultural Society’s Best Front Garden competition this summer. He was presented with the Centenary Cup by John Rickards, president of the horticultural society, after the judges had looked at every garden in Aldenham parish.

Ken’s garden is packed with hydrangeas, fuchsias, begonias and perennials in pots, window boxes, borders and hanging baskets. Having spent all his working life at Edge Grove School, he has now retired so as well as maintaining his garden and a productive vegetable patch, he helps some of the other occupants of the almshouses.

The runner up was Matthew Bolshaw, of Back Lane, Letchmore Heath, and in third place were Mr and Mrs John Dancy, of Hawthorne Road, Radlett.

The best communal garden award went to Church Farm Way, Aldenham, and the best commercial properties was won by Aldenham parish council for their display of window boxes and hanging baskets around the Radlett Centre and Watling Street.

n Radlett Horticultural Society is holding its autumn flower show on Saturday, September 4, at the Vision Hall, Christ Church, in the village.

Vision Hall is a new venue for the show which features over 100 classes of prize-winning flowers, vegetables and fruit as well as domestic classes featuring foodstuffs like cakes and jam.

There will also be photography and flower arranging and the Aylett Competition for children. The show runs from 3pm to 5pm.