An Elvington woman is one of the winners in a county-wide gardening competition – despite never having had a garden before.

Susan Houlden got her first garden last year when she moved from Wheldrake into a one-bedroom bungalow at Jubilee Court in Elvington.

When she first moved in, the back yard was a simple square of grass. Since then, Mrs Houlden has transformed it with the addition of trees, flowers, a three-tier rose bed, a patio and a fountain.

Now the garden has won her the ‘Most Improved Garden’ award in the annual York Housing Association In Bloom Competition.

Mrs Houlden said: “Gardening has changed my life. When I first moved here and saw the size of the garden it was a bit daunting, but I thought don’t let this beat you, just get on with it, and with the help of my godson it’s all come together.”

The award was presented by YHA board member, Sue Walters Thompson, who said: “It’s such a privilege to be able to see these beautiful gardens and meet the people who create them.”

Other York winners in the 2015 annual York Housing Association In Bloom Competition are Bruce Wannell, of Holgate Road, who took the award for ‘Best Low Budget’ garden and Mrs Whitehead of Faber Street, who won the ‘Best Low Maintenance’ category.