Awards keep coming for Sidcup care home’s green-fingered expert

A gardener at a care home has won two awards for her highly-acclaimed work – maintaining her reputation as a serial winner of such prizes.

Deborah Ruggins, head gardener at Abbotsleigh Mews Bupa Care Home, has received a gold standard award in the London Gardens Society ‘Large Garden’ category, as well as the Ruxley in Bloom ‘Best Business’ category at the Guildhall in London.

In preparation for the competition, Debbie edged the grass and tidied the beautiful array of flowers, leaving the gardens at the home in Old Farm Road, Sidcup, in immaculate and pristine condition.

Debbie has previously won an array of awards for her work there.

She said: “I always say I have the best job here at Abbotsleigh Mews. It is a lot of pressure to enter these competitions, but I trust in my hard work and hope the weather is on my side.”

A care home spokeswoman said: “Debbie is a real asset to Abbotsleigh Mews. She is a lovely, happy lady who always puts 100 per cent into her work. We are all so proud of her.”

Debbie has been gardening since she was 16 during an apprenticeship where she worked at the Royal Parks. She went on to work as a Grade 1 gardener and ended up as chargehand at Hyde Park Corner.

At Abbotsleigh Mews, Debbie designed and created a dementia garden and does Garden Walks with residents in the summer.

Pictured top: Debbie shows off her latest award from her beloved gardens (Picture: Bupa Care Homes)