Vic Rees is a legend on Poolmans Road, Windsor, where he has lived for many years. He was chosen as this year’s Garden in Bloom Runner Up by Windsor residents. Over 1,000 votes by phone, email and on Facebook for 29 gardens across Clewer & Dedworth West saw Vic receive more than 250 votes 😉
His front garden is enjoyed by all who are fortunate enough to stroll or drive past. Having a garden to tend has helped his mental health during the last 18 months which has been very stressful for many in the community.
His rear garden is even more magical. Vics efforts appreciated by his family and biggest fan, his favourite granddaughter Vikkie, who on hearing a whisper that her granddad was up for recognition for his gardening skills, encouraged her friends to join in the voting on Facebook.
Last week, after a couple of weeks of voting, Vic was in top stop with over 130 votes… a few days after Vikki joined in the fun, this total had doubled!
Vic’s artistic prowess is not restricted to his garden, he is also a keen artist, producing Christmas scenes for the enjoyment of the whole community. Displayed in his garage at Yuletide for many years, he collected donations for Alzheimer’s in memory of his beloved wife Teresa.
He’s not so keen on collection buckets these days after one was removed from a retail display he was asked to create. He now simply does it for the smiles on the faces of those both young and old 😉
I have asked our officers who are working on expanding on the tap and donate scheme, deployed to raise money for the homeless, to reflect on the above and see if we can come up with ways to support those with big hearts like Vic, making the money collection bit, for their favourite charity, as simple as possible in 2022.
Thank you to Vic and all the other gardeners who joined in the Garden in Bloom this year and hopefully many more will join him and Jenny, this year’s winner, for next year’s competition.
Below are three pictures of the same garden taken a month apart: end June, end July, end Aug!
Just goes to underline how dependent the gardens are on the weather and the tlc of their loving owners.
Thank you.
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