Edwin's prize for his healing garden

There's nothing like getting out in the garden to help you forget your troubles for green-fingered Edwin Williams.
Edwin Williams' garden, winner of the Best Back Garden award in Leyland in BloomEdwin Williams' garden, winner of the Best Back Garden award in Leyland in Bloom
Edwin Williams' garden, winner of the Best Back Garden award in Leyland in Bloom

Edwin not only loves spending time in his garden, but he is also using the power of plants as a means of therapy.

The 63-year-old has just won a local gardening competition award - the best back garden in this year’s Leyland in Bloom - after recovering from his third melanoma.

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Edwin and his wife Janet, 60, have lived in their semi-detached on St Christine’s Avenue, Farington, Leyland, since 1974.

“I won first prize for the best back garden,” said a proud Edwin.

“It was lovely, wonderful.

“We’ve been in this house for 43 years, both my wife and I since we were children have loved gardening.”

He added: “This year I’ve had my third melanoma and had to have my left ear removed.

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“In 2009 I had a malignant melanoma on my leg and another in 2015.

“We’ve always had a nice garden, as people have told us. but 11 years ago we decided to completely redesign it, to everybody’s amazement. The neighbours thought we were daft.

“We wanted shapes and curves and natural stone. The major thing was colour all year round.

“We purchased lots and lots of natural stone, which was in desperate need of loving care. It was full of tar, it was filthy.

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“We designed it together then I set about for a good nine months or a year building it.

“It was a labour of love, to be honest. Gardening just gives me a complete switch off about caring about stuff and just getting on with it.

Edwin worked as an engineer for BAE Systems for 40 years at a variety of sites, including Samlesbury and Warton.

After ‘retiring’ he worked for Rolls Royce before returning to BAE Systems for 18 months and officially retiring this time last year.

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But he has also since done some consultancy work for JW Foods in Liverpool and travelled to the Seychelles to carry out teaching work with the tuna fishing industry.

As well as gardening, another of his loves is painting, mainly water colours, which he teaches for charity.

“I was the first water colour lecturer on the Queen Mary in 2004, which sailed form Southampton to New York,” he said.

He has also taught at St Catherine’s Hospice, Lostock Hall and Barton Grange garden centre, Brock.

“My dreams are to help other people achieve their dreams,” said Edwin.