By Geoff Sloan
Avida Park Lane Retirement Village & Rest Home has scooped three major awards in the 2025 Christchurch Beautifying Association summer garden competition.
The retirement village’s beautifully landscaped grounds have won the premier commercial award, Peter Lawrence Challenge Trophy and the Russley Retirement Village Premier Challenge Trophy.
The complex is home to 210 residents on Whiteleigh Ave, Addington.
Village manager Leigh Tabak and her gardener husband Jaron Tabak said it was a great team effort, and credited a number of residents pitching in to help where they could.
Leigh said there was “a wee bit of competition” between the retirement villages, and it wasn’t uncommon for residents to go around and view each other’s gardens.
Jaron’s gardens are a mix of different arrangements, with a variety of plants strategically placed to bloom all year round.
He said the secret was “just keeping on top of things and not letting them get away on you”. Keeping everything well watered and fertilised was also key.
Gardening could be a lot of hard work, he said.
“Especially when you’re sweating away in the hot sun.”
The Christchurch Beautifying Association garden awards started more than 70 years ago to encourage civic pride.
They feature both residential and commercial categories, to acknowledge those who have contributed to maintaining the image of Christchurch as the Garden City.
