Social housing tenants enter prestigious garden book

A West Yorkshire couple have become the first social housing tenants in the country to have their garden included in the prestigious ‘Yellow Book’ of National Garden Schemes.

The book, which provides a guide to the country’s best and well-loved public gardens, accepted Mel and Linda Moran’s ‘Little Eden’ after they were dazzled by the huge range of exotic flora.

The couple, who rent their home from Wakefield and District Housing (WDH) on Lancaster Road in Ferry Fryston, opened their hidden paradise to the public on Sunday 15 August to allow green fingered enthusiasts the chance to get up close and personal with some of the world’s rarest plants.

“We were out for the day visiting another garden when we bumped into one of the National Garden Scheme’s county organisers,” explains Mel, 62. “We got talking about our garden and she asked to come and have a look.

“She was surprised to see some of the things we were growing, like the banana plant and the orange and fig trees. She approved us there and then.”

The BBC paid a visit to ‘Little Eden’ on Friday 13 August to profile the garden ahead of its open day at the weekend.

“We live in a lovely house and the garden is our pride and joy,” adds Linda, 61. “People just don’t think you can achieve what we’ve achieved when you don’t own your own house.

“We want to promote our work and show people that this is what you can do on a social housing estate.”

WDH Area Manager Mark Trafford congratulated Linda and Melvyn on their wonderful contribution to the local estate and their inclusion in the Yellow Book.

He said: “I was amazed by the variety of plants – and the contribution they make to the local wildlife. It’s truly inspirational creation and we are very proud to have such a wonderful garden, and such caring tenants, as part of our estate.”