By DANE LILLINGSTONE
ONE local man’s passion for gardening stems back 75 years and he’s still going strong today.
Charles Shann – or Charlie as he is known to those close to him – first started gardening when he was five-years-old after his mother gifted him his first garden bed.
“My mother was a great gardener and her mother was a great gardener and in those days we had great big properties and huge gardens and plenty of help, it was very easy to garden,” he said.
Mr Shann’s passion was ignited that day and has since blossomed into a string of acknowledgements in gardening competitions.
The 107th annual Spring Flower Show was held at St Mary’s on Thursday and featured 345 entrants. Mr Shann has been entering the competition for the past four years.
Out of his 30 personal entries, he took home 18 firsts, eight seconds, and one third with only three of his entries not placing.
Originally from far north Queensland, he would come to Warwick in 1977 and has been here ever since. He said gardening was something that has run in the family.
“My father used to make a terrible fuss and go on and call me a bloody sis for gardening,” he said.
“When I went to Europe I was amazed to find how many of my father’s family were great gardeners too. I thought it was only on my mother’s side.”
Mr Shann said his lifelong passion was simply relaxing.
“I think it’s relaxing. If you’re furious about something and you go and get your hands in the dirt, I think it takes the stress out of your system,” he said.
“It is one of my passions and I love design.
“My wife doesn’t garden, it’s just me.”
Charles’s wife Rowan was also quick to point out it was all her husband’s work.
“I have nothing to do with it,” she said.
She also wanted nothing to do with having her photo taken but Charles wouldn’t have it any other way.
