Two Gardens That Set an Example to Other Tenants.

Two gardens of National Coal Board houses in Conisbrough are ‘an oasis’ in a desert of unkempt gardens on the village’s Conanby estate. So says one resident of the estate suggesting a competition among tenants to encourage better gardens.

The gardens making up the ‘oasis’ are numbers 49 and 51 Denaby Avenue, which have drawn comments of administration from passers-by. Tenant on number 51 is Mr. Thomas Strudy, a 72-years-old former overman at Cadeby Colliery. At 49 is retired Denaby Colliery tub weighman, 66-years-old Mr. George Morris, and his 59-years-old wife Emily, who tends to much of the family garden.

Oasis.

‘Those two gardens are an oasis in a desert of unkempt gardens,’ the Conanby resident told the South Yorkshire Times on Tuesday.

‘I like to see a garden that is clean and tidy and cultivated, but some people just don’t take the trouble,’ added the resident who did not wish his name to be given.

‘People could find the time to do it if they wanted to,’ he said, ‘but want to be out elsewhere.

‘The point is that the people who look after their gardens have to pay the same rent as those who don’t. I think the local council or the Coal Board could start some scheme to encourage tenants to keep their property nice.’

In this garden, which must be one of the prettiest for miles around, Mr. Strudy told our reporter on Tuesday, ‘Gardening has been my main hobby for most of my life. I started as a lad or nine and have been interested since.

‘I don’t spend a tremendous amount of time in the garden. The secret is to work to a plan.’

Mr. Strudy, 28 years a tenant of number 51, added ‘I would be pleased if some kind of gardens competition could be started among council or Coal Board tenants.’

His neighbours, Mr. and Mrs. Morris, spent two years preparing their garden for the laying of lawns and flower beds.

Mr. Morris said, ‘My wife is very keen, and people often comment about the gardens as they go past.

‘I certainly would be pleased if some scheme was started to encourage people to tend their gardens. At the same time, I know how difficult it is for a collier to start gardening when he gets home from a hard day’s work. He’s done enough shovelling at the pit, but there’s nothing to stop the wives doing it.’