ALL things green, sustainable and beautiful were celebrated at this year's Wight in Bloom awards today (Friday).

Judges visited 114 gardens maintained by groups, individuals and businesses throughout July to decide the worthy winners of 11 categories, who were presented with awards, Red Funnel vouchers and a gift from Liz Earle by celebrity gardener, Alan Titchmarsh.

Mr Titchmarsh spoke of how gardens can give solace and a sense of perspective and proportion in a world where they seem sadly lacking before revealing the highly commended, second place and winners from each categories.

Supported and managed for the past four years by Visit Isle of Wight and event sponsor Red Funnel Ferries, Wight in Bloom is open to all Island residents and organisations with the aim to make the Island a brighter, greener place to live and visit.

Entries were scored for their design, range of plants, colour, presentation, maintenance and creativity, as well as a new 'how green is your garden' section which awarded bonus points for recycling, wildlife friendly habitats and water saving ideas.

Community Kids, Sandown Railway Station rose triumphant to win the Best Community Floral Project despite suffering from vandalism throughout their process, and the National Trust's Mottistone Garden won best large tourist attraction.

Winning the prestigious Peggy Jarman trophy for overall winner trophy was Sue Cheek for her allotment at Quarry Road, Ryde.

Sue, who has worked on her allotment for two and a half years, said: "I'm absolutely gobsmacked. I had no idea I would win, I didn't even think I'd win my own category.

"I've always been a little bit of a grower since I was small because my parents are keen gardeners and they eat everything they grow, so I was brought up with it.

"I grow everything that I possibly can in the space but it's not a very big allotment. In the growing time, I spend about four hours a day down there.

"Runner beans are my favourite vegetable to eat and grow because they grow quite quickly. When you go to pick them, you can have little small runner beans one day and the next they're ready to eat."

The judges spoke of the hard time they had judging the competition this year, but said Sue's garden 'gave the feeling of love'.

One judge said: "Choosing an overall winner from such a variety and quality of entries was nigh on impossible.

For this task we engaged our other senses too, looking for the wow factor and the intangible. This garden gave you the feeling of love poured in and definitely the wow factor."

Simon Dabell, chairman of Visit Isle of Wight, who welcomed guests to the awards ceremony, said: "In what I feel is going to turn out to be an outstanding year for our visitor numbers, seeing so many different gardens coping with the dry conditions and still coming out on top, is astonishing in itself.

"Everyone who tends their garden is adding to the beauty and our visitors' experience of the Island, and Wight In Bloom gives us the opportunity to recognise this contribution and compete for horticultural excellence."

Kevin George, chairman of the Red Funnel Group, said: "We've supported Wight in Bloom for a number of years and I think the important thing we want to promote is how beautiful the Garden Isle is.

"The reason the Island is such a beautiful place is because there are lots of people who dedicate lots of time and effort into creating these fantastic gardens, whether that be their own front garden or one of the main attractions on the Island.

After the ceremony, Alan Titchmarsh said: "What these people have done is really important. They have done their best in their patch or garden to help wildlife.

"It's a lot of people doing a little to create a really big thing. Congratulations to all those who won, got special mentions and contributed to the Garden Isle."

The winners of Wight in Bloom 2018:

Best Small Front Garden

Winner: Susan Midgely, Sandown. Runner up: John Cavanagh, Ryde. Highly commended: Mr and Mrs David Smallman, Shanklin.

Best Large Front Garden

Joint winners: Steve and Carol Denness, Sandown and Jo Hardy-Bishop, Shanklin. Highly commended: Mr F S Brett, Binstead.

Best Commercial Garden

Joint winners: Haven Hall, Shanklin and Vernon Cottage, Shanklin. Highly commended: Bembridge Coast Hotel.

Best Senior Citizen Complex

Winner: Knights Court, Ventnor. Runner up: Mountbatten Hospice, Newport. Highly Commended: The Limes, Bembridge.

Young People Initiative

Winner: Wootton Primary School. Runner up: Niton Primary School. Joint highly commended: Shalfleet Primary School and Lucas Richards, Nettlestone.

Best Community Floral Project

Winner: Community Kids, Sandown Railway Station. Runner up: Northwood House, Cowes. Highly commended – Sandown Green Town Volunteers, Pier View Gardens.

Best Small Tourist Attraction

Winner: The Walled Garden, Farringford Estate, Freshwater. Runner up: Rylstone Tea Gardens, Shanklin. Highly commended: Princess Beatrice Garden, Carisbrooke Castle, English Heritage.

Best Large Tourist Attraction Garden

Winner: Mottistone Gardens, National Trust. Runner up: Robin Hill Country Park. Highly Commended: Ventnor Botantic Garden.

Best Creative Use of a Small Space

Winner: Elizabeth Allan, Northwood. Joint runner up: Nicola Robinson, Cowes, and Graham and Jackie Smith.

Best Water Feature

Winner: Patricia McCree, Binstead. Runner up: Peter Blow, Newport. Highly commended: Den Clare, Shanklin.

Best Edible Garden

Winner: Sue Cheek, Ryde. Runner up: Andy and Sue Garner, Seaview. Highly commended: Pam Toms, Northwood.

Overall winner of The Peggy Jarman Trophy:

Sue Cheek, Quarry Road Allotments, Ryde.