Percy Thrower's gardening tips still blooming good, says his competition judge daughter

Shrewsbury's famous son, Percy, tenderly nurtured the BBC's Blue Peter garden and was a household name from the 1950s to the 1980s.

Now his daughter Margaret Thrower, who lives on the outskirts of Shrewsbury, is continuing his legacy.

She is currently judging Oswestry in Bloom and will move on to Shrewsbury, where entries are still open, for more judging on July 27.

Margaret Thrower and Betty Gull are braving the changeable British summer's sunshine and showers, to select the outstanding blooms on a three-day walking tour of the market town.

Margaret said:

"I always look forward to judging this competition and every year it gives me ideas for putting into practice in my own garden.

"I still refer to dad's Encyclopaedia of Gardening while judging. It is still current.

"Dad was trained in the hands-on apprentice style, working his way up through the departments to the head gardener, which I think is the best way for education.

"He liked everything in the garden but he was particularly fond of fuchsia and begonias. He used to judge in Nantwich, in Cheshire, and I took over from him. I'm not sure if dad judged Oswestry in Bloom.

"Gardening was his job and hobby. He was in the right place at the right time.

"He was gardening in the early days of popular television when he was pretty much the only one in his field.

"Judging is something of a mammoth task. It takes us three days when it used to take just one.

"It is so nice to see fellow gardeners and I've been doing this job for so long – for 12 to 15 years or so – it is like meeting old friends."

The Oswestry bloom committee has won gold awards in the Heart of England in Bloom Competition for the last 11 years.