A WINCHESTER man has seen his life transformed all thanks to the power of gardening.

Anthony Coates,42, from Green Close in Wellhouse Lane is now celebrating the fruits of his labour as he won the Winchester City Council Tenants Gardening competition for his impressive hanging baskets.

The dad-of-three says his famed hanging baskets which can be found at the front of his home are very much just the tip of the iceberg.

Mr Coates describes himself as “self taught” and picked up the skills needed thanks to magazines and also got help and advice from Philip Jeffs of Worthy Plants.

He originally did some soft and hard landscaping at the age of 23, but said he really started to discover the joys of gardening when he had his own garden nine years ago.

He said he had to rip it all out and start from the beginning, but since then he has never looked back.

Now he even has started his own business in the world of horticulture and he runs Littlerose Gardening and Maintenance as a sole trader, which is a world away from working for Pickfords and also Winchester Removals.

He tried to fit in the gardening business around his wife Caroline’s hours, as she works as a staff nurse at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital.

Speaking about the award Mr Coates said: “I feel very excited and very pleased with the hard work I have put in the nine years turning it into a garden.”

His son Jake,10, and two daughters Lila,4, and Kira, 13, have also been a part of the success and have been involved.