A woman living in a Berkshire housing association home has won an award for her sustainable garden.

The recognition was part of the Sovereign Network Group's (SNG) In Bloom gardening competition, which is a feature of SNG’s Living Together programme.

Michelle Plummer, a resident of Mortimer, clinched the first position in the Sustainable Garden category.

She was one of five standout gardeners from SNG's 85,000 households spread across London and the south of England.

The judging panel was impressed with Ms Plummer's garden, which displayed a strong commitment to sustainability.

The diverse hedges, aesthetically pleasing ponds, and a wildflower meadow in her garden created habitats that support and encourage wildlife.

This was a key feature that contributed to her winning the first-place title.

Ms Plummer's garden also had bird and bee boxes, further illustrating her commitment to nurturing an environmentally-friendly space.

This provided essential resources for the local wildlife.

Speaking about her win, Ms Plummer said: "I was grateful to win the competition, it was a lovely surprise and what a great idea from SNG.

"I am very proud of the garden.

"It has developed over many years, and I always have ideas to further enhance it.

"This award is such a nice way for it to be recognised, thank you."

Jamie Ratcliff, Chief Communities and Sustainability Officer at SNG, said: "I was blown away with the levels of skill, commitment, and improvement shown in all submissions to our first In Bloom competition.

"Our customers are the people who make the places we offer a home, and Michelle’s work to add to her community so that it thrives across generations, as well as the joy in her garden, has been amazing to see."

SNG, which is one of the largest housing associations, provides over 85,000 homes in areas of acute housing need across London and the south of England.

The organisation aims to build an additional 2,500 homes a year by 2027.

SNG was formed on October 1, 2023, through the merger of Sovereign Housing Association and Network Homes.

The organisation is a leading builder of affordable homes, including those for social rent.

It is also a member of the G15 group, which comprises London’s largest housing associations.

The G15 represents some of the leading organisations in the housing sector.

Its members house one in ten Londoners, are the largest providers of affordable homes in the capital, build a quarter of all new homes in London, and own or manage more than 600,000 homes.