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The Perrier is flowing fast in Sante’s garden
Pensioner creates prize-winning display despite ‘siege’ at Macintosh House
A PENSIONER under siege in a Marylebone old people’s home has won first prize for his pristine garden display.
Sante Zanello raised a glass of champagne after his garden outside Macintosh in Beaumont Street won first prize in the 25th annual Conservation Foundation Green Corners for London, founded by celebrity botanist David Bellamy’s charity.
Prof Bellamy founded the award to promote “places that cheer up London” and Mr Zanello’s garden has been praised by his charity as “vital to the capital’s biodiversity”.
Mr Zanello said: “I did not buy any of the plants – I just found them from around Marylebone. I have been keeping the garden for about four years.”
Despite winning the Green Corners award Mr Zanello’s garden did not feature in the council-run Westminster in Bloom 2007.
But the 67-year-old said he was not surprised.
He has since March been a thorn in the side of Westminster Council who have for months being trying to get him to leave the block.
Councillor Angela Harvey, the council’s lead member for housing, took the decision to shut down Macintosh House in March after she claimed the building did not meet standards.
But this week she was singing the praises of Mr Zanello saying: “It is great when residents care for their homes and open spaces for everyone’s benefit.”
Housing chiefs broke up the happy community of vulnerable elderly residents, moving them to other sheltered accommodation.
Three have died since the plans were announced and Mr Zanello said his 96-year-old friend in Glarus Court was disappointed with his new accommodation.
The council plan to sell the lease to the spacious 28-room Macintosh House – built in the 1960s specifically for elderly people – back to landlords Howard de Walden.
When Mr Zanello refused to leave they boxed-up his books, took paintings off the walls and failed to renew his television licence in a bid to oust him from the block.
Despite the onslaught the 69-year-old said he was “more determined than ever” to stay put and that the council would have to seek a court order to get him out. He maintains the decision to close the block – based on two architects’ reports from six years ago, was “packed full of lies”.
The Local Government Ombudsman is investigating and Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, leader of the Labour Group, said: “The garden has been enjoyed by many residents over the years and it is a tragedy that the garden will be destroyed by Westminster City Council’s heartless decision to close Macintosh House so that it can pocket the proceeds of the sale.”
Sante Zanello will be at the award ceremony on the November 20 in Covent Garden.
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