Baulkham Hills local announced as winner of Sydney’s best residential front garden

The Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS) has announced the winner of its 2023 Sydney Spring Garden Competition, with Sharon Matthews, a resident of Baulkham Hills, taking home the top prize. 
 
The Sydney Spring Garden competition, an initiative aimed at recognising horticultural excellence within local gardening communities, continues to uphold the legacy of its founder Lt. Charles Christian, who envisioned beautifying Sydney’s streets through stunning residential front gardens. 
 
Judges Cecily Rogers and Alex Ross determined this year’s winner after visiting and assessing the gardens of fifteen finalists over two days last week, with Rogers claiming the striking floral arrangements of Matthews' garden had caught their eye.
 
“The attention to detail, thoughtful design, and well-maintained nature of the garden truly stood out. The vibrant colours and floral arrangements are a testament to Matthews’ dedication and passion”, Rogers said.
 
“It was a challenging job to reach a winner this year as the overall quality of the gardens was outstanding. We would like to thank everyone who entered and look forward to seeing their gardens flourish in the years to come”.
 
As the recipient of this year’s Sydney Spring Garden award, Matthews will be presented with a winner’s plaque and a $2000 Flower Power voucher at a presentation in November. 
 
Matthews said she was thrilled that her colourful garden had made such a strong impression on the judges. 
 
“I was ecstatic to find out I had won”, Matthews said. 
 
“I love flowers and every plant in my garden has flowers. I’m in the garden every day and it’s nice to be rewarded for all the hard work”.
 
Four worthy runners-up were also announced, with each receiving a $100 Flower Power voucher.
 
Runners up included:
Dolores Meilak, Greystanes
Greg Walsh, Oatley
Michael Buttigieg, Cranbrook
Danuta Szczypior, Baulkham Hills