Top garden award makes Bob ‘best’

By Dion Teasdale
WANDIN resident Bob O’Neill is now officially the best gardener in the country.
The owner and creator of Katandra Gardens in Wandin, Mr O’Neill was named the ABC Gardening Australia Gardener of the Year last month.
He took out the highly coveted title after being named the ABC’s Ornamental Gardener of the Year earlier this year.
In addition to the accolades, Mr O’Neill was awarded $10,000 in prize money and a gold plated hand trowel and shovel from garden tool manufacturers Digadoo.
“It is very satisfying to be acknowledged in this way, to be recognised by your peers for something you love doing,” Mr O’Neill said.
“We never set out to win awards like this, but winning confirms that we must be doing something right and that people appreciate what we have created.”
Mr O’Neill, along with his wife Dot, has devoted the past 15 years to creating Katandra Gardens, which is situated on Hunter Road in Wandin.
The property comprises eight acres of landscaped gardens featuring one of the most extensive collections of Australia flora in the country.
“I think us winning this award shows other gardeners that anything is possible if you are positive and determined,” Mr O’Neill said.
“Dot and I, two little old pensioners, have created Katandra. We’ve put ourselves into it and hope others will be inspired to grow native plants in their gardens.”
The recent title wins have ended a very busy and successful year for the pair.
Earlier in the year Katandra Gardens was named one of three must-see Australian Gardens in the United Kingdom’s Royal Horticultural Society journal, and the gardens have featured on TV shows on both the ABC and Channel Seven.
The gardens have also been featured in Destination Yarra Valley, the Dandenong Ranges’ new international marketing brochure as one of the must-see destinations in the area.
For Mr O’Neill’s top five summer gardening tips check out the Home and Garden lift out in this week’s Mail.