A GREEN-fingered couple from Reeth have retained their title of owning one of Richmondshire’s most prized gardens for the second year running.

Graham and Rosemary Frankland took one of the top prizes in the 2012 Richmondshire District Council gardening contest Council tenants in Richmondshire are encouraged to keep their gardens at their best throughout the summer months ready for judging in a competition to find the best gardens, window boxes, tubs, baskets, borders and vegetable patches.

They had a month to get their plots into top condition before they were mystery judged.

They were judged in the five areas of the district – Central, Garrison, Lower Wensleydale, North Richmondshire and Upper Dales.

The prizewinners were: Central: Joint 1 - Mrs G Ryde – Scorton; Mr and Mrs P Collins – Richmond; Mr and Mrs W Cuthbert – Richmond.

Garrison: 1 Mr S Beattie – Colburn; 2 Mrs P Bown – Colburn; 3 Mr D Brown – Catterick Garrison.

Lower Wensleydale: Joint 1 Mrs E Brown – Harmby; Mrs M Close and Mr K Thwaites – Leyburn; 3 Mrs E Rawlin, West Witton.

North Richmondshire: Joint 1 Mr and Mrs B Swanston - North Cowton; Mr and Mrs R Cole – Melsonby; Mrs E Bondarenko – Melsonby.

Upper Dales: 1 Mr and Mrs G Frankland – Reeth; 2 Ms K Riddell – East Witton; Joint 3 Mrs M Whitehead – Reeth, Mr G Moses – Reeth.