The reason Sunshine Bay Estate is so popular are the beautiful gardens and the amazing gardeners who work hard to create these wonders.

Congratulations to our First Prize winners Mr and Mrs Diggins of 6 John Forrest who have created two beautiful gardens since joining the Estate. They were awarded their first garden competition prize in 1996, a Second Prize in 2005 and now First Prize in 2008. Their current masterpiece is a sight to behold with blossoms of such variety and colours with contrasting foliage all nestled in a terraced rockery.

Rich burgundy theme of china doll, standard prunus and pink flowing gaura are superbly highlighted against the conifers, westringia, agapanthas and magnolia. Set amongst a very well kept lawn are two large rock beds filled with striking annuals such as petunias and lobelia as well as miniature white margarite daisy, carnations, beautiful roses of pink and red hues, nandina and hardy water wise succulents. Mr and Mrs Diggins passion and long standing commitment to their garden is an inspiration to us all.

Mr and Mrs Waters of 21 Wentworth Avenue won the Second Prize. The glorious blaze of colour in this garden is impressive.

In the centre of the garden is an elevated rock walled bed of standard roses, yucca and murraya paniculata which is surrounded by bright yellow marigold and an overspilling white geranium. The backdrop of delightful standard roses in hues of reds and pinks rising from a bed planted with deep purple lobelia and a rainbow mass of petunias sets the scene perfectly.

One of the two Highly Commended awards goes to Mrs Callan of 8 Hartog Place. The wild mix of colour and an archway of red and pink roses caught the eye of the judges in this fantastic garden. Complete with a border of vibrant pink kalanchoe and filled with hydrangeas, lavender, hearts ease, hebe, camellias and succulents.

Mr and Mrs Teece of 88 Hume Road were awarded the second Highly Commended prize.

Their garden features flashes of colour amongst a theme of pretty white daisies. There are magnificent roses bordered with begonias and lobelia. The front bed is filled with purple African daisies, flashy orange gazanias and callistemon.

Encouragement Awards go to the following wonderful efforts.

Mr and Mrs Higgins of 8 Banks Place have a beautiful manicured lawn with a garden of roses, hibiscus and a variety of well established natives that are great bird attractors. The side area with a carpet of white and pink diosma is a standout.

Vibrant blooms are radiant in Mr & Mrs Watson's garden of 18 Lawson Place. The terraced garden has showy red carpet roses, sunny prostrate arcacia and delicate standard white roses.

Mr and Mrs Mussillon of 15 Poole Place is all style with a magnificent pale pink standard rose, stunning protea blossoms, vibrant yellow kangaroo paw and a rainbow coloured bed of roses.

The highlight of Mr & Mrs Kolderie's garden (20 Mawson Place) is an avenue of white standard roses with baby agapanthas as ground cover. On closer inspection the judges were surprised to find tomatoes companion planted with the roses.

The efforts of Mr & Mrs Dimitrovski (39 Canning Crescent) have really seen this grow from nothing to fantastic in just one year. The raised bed of warm coloured roses from palest pinks to deepest red gives this street a real lift.

Mr & Mrs Cools of 17 Batman Place have done a great job with their garden. Planted with water saving species such as trailing rosemary, murray perniculata, agapanthas, tibouchina, lavender, hebe, callistemon and pelegoniums of deep pink and purple blooms it is easy to see this garden is as hardy as it is pretty.

The well manicured lawn and lovely bursts of colour from Mr and Mrs Davies of 14 Stuart Place is picture perfect. The purple and white petunias are contrasted beautifully with the conifers, buxus and hebes. There is also a wonderful apricot rose and a well planted screen of photinia and nandina.

Ms Joan O'Connor of 33B Thomas Mitchell Crescent has a striking burgundy maple complimented with deep red and pristine white roses. There are bright coloured carpet roses throughout the garden which is also planted with more burgundy foliage of a frilly begonia and purple and white alyssum.

The judges congratulate Ms Hockey 6 Thomas Mitchell Crescent as she has made an incredible effort in the garden. With succulents of all variety, begonias, kalanchoe, bromeliads, white and red roses, tibouchina, Christmas bush and mondo grass this garden is visually striking in its shades of red and green.

Mrs Halbisch of 11 John Oxley Crescent has a garden with great colour that is also very nature loving. There are well established native plants such as grevilleas, callistemon and westringia as well as roses, white flowering guara, hydrangeas and nandina.

Shades of pink and purples with dashes of white were the blooms of Ms Shirley Tilbury garden (33A Thomas Mitchell Crescent). Roses, allysum and cheerful ground covers all combine to make a pretty display of hot summer colours.

The judges thank all the gardeners of Sunshine Bay Estate. We know it can be difficult to create and maintain beautiful gardens under the current climate conditions but we think you are doing a superb job. Next year two of the encouragement awards will be dedicated to water saving gardens.