NOW that summer is here, there is no excuse not to get the garden into shape and enter The Hunts Post Garden Competition. One of this week s entries is from Jan Sturgeon, a pensioner from Elm Drive, St Ives. Jan describes her garden, pictured above, as a

NOW that summer is here, there is no excuse not to get the garden into shape and enter The Hunts Post Garden Competition.

One of this week's entries is from Jan Sturgeon, a pensioner from Elm Drive, St Ives.

Jan describes her garden, pictured above, as a traditional cottage garden with her favourite English flowers, roses, foxgloves and lilies filling the borders.

"Gardening is my lifetime hobby with nearly 40 years experience, I spend nearly everyday in the garden, it is a labour of love."

The garden took six years to achieve and takes a lot of work to keep it looking good, although all the pesticides that Jan uses are organic.

"My garden is colourful yet calm, the flowers are soft pastel colours like blue, purple, white and yellow, I never use bold colours like orange or bright red."

The design is shaped in three circles with a bed in the middle so the owner can take a walk around the garden admiring the climbers on the archways.

Jan has entered the best garden design category of The Hunts Post Garden of the Year, which is open to anyone who is proud of their gardening achievements.

There are two other categories, including most colourful display and best kept garden.

The competition, which runs until September 30, is sponsored by Admiral Conservatives and Windows and has three cash prizes of £250 on offer to the winner of each category and another cash prize of £500 for the overall winner.

Entering is simple. You can go online at www.huntspost.co.uk, click on garden competition and follow the instructions. Or fill in the coupon and send it with three pictures of your garden and a 200 word note detailing why it deserves to win, to The Hunts Post, 30 High Street, Huntingdon, PE29 3TB by Saturday, September 30.