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Winners announced in local green thumb competition at does it take to Wleate an awardâ€" winning garden? Inge and Walter Kenning, who received top honours in the 2003 Waterloo Commuâ€" nities in Bloom Front Yard competition, aavise, "Do your own thing." The Kennings have been gardening at 42 Comberâ€" mere Cres. for 30 years. They recommend new gardeners start with plants they really like and grow a good variety that bloom at different times, with annuals added for colour if there is a gap in blooming. They move any plants that aren‘t thriving and divide those that are becomâ€" ing too large. They suggest having a garden that is "not too wild" at the front of the house, but they believe that, when gardeners do their own By Hecen Hewrnt For the Chronicle Master of ceremonies at the awards presentation last Thursday was author and Kâ€" W Record garden columnist David Hobson, who noted gardening is not hard work. Inge remembers that when she was a girl, her mother grew sixâ€"foot delâ€" phiniums. She said she doesn‘t keep track of her gardening hours because she just likes to get out in the sunshine. thing, every garden is inter esting. The Kennings have enjoyed gardening all their lives. "I have always loved plants," Walter said. "As a boy, if I saw one I liked, I dug a part of it up and planted it at home." "It‘s good for you," he said. "It‘s good for the soul; you have to slow down in a garden. Things happen slowly over the seasons." He explained, Waterloo letter carriers nominated In order of merit, the winners for Ward I were Inge and Walter Kenning, 42 Combermere Cr.; L Cerny, 314 Craigleith Dr.; E. Giesel, their favourite front yards early in the summer, and a team of judges then chose the winners. Waterloo‘s Communities in Bloom chair Angela Vieth, left, stands with this year‘s winners Inge and Walter Kenning, centre, and judges Pat Mansz and Brenda Ferguson. â€" ONTARIO PRO smm Oe Fj BEFORE ELEC\“°'9 SUBMITTED PHOTO 104 Banting P1.; Ward 2: L. §- Karges, 480 Wilmot Line; J. z Carey, 556 Canewood Cr.; G. § Minor, 714 Wideman Rd.; 7 Ward 3: T Buhrows, 5 Southâ€" 3 wick PL; P. Degroot, 605 § Eastgate Walk; W. Baker, 375 § River Oak PI.; Ward 4: R. ® Kipp, 205 Washington Ave.; § J. McKay, 7 Chelford PL; H. © Goodwin, 69 Leaside Dr.; & Ward 5: V. Gonsalves, 203 E John St. W.; A. Santi, 263 E Lourdes St.; and J. Short, 78 3 George St. s For the EcoFriendly competition, yards had to have a diversity of native plants, require little or no Continued on page 6