A RENFREWSHIRE woman is on cloud nine after her garden won a national award.

Former British Airways cabin steward Jane Clark picked up a £1,000 prize for providing a green sanctuary for a range of wildlife, including bats, squirrels and owls.

Her seven-year labour of love beat thousands of other entries to be named Best Eco-friendly Garden in the B&Q Gardener of the Year contest.

Jane, 61, and her aircraft engineer husband Neil, 51, moved into their farmhouse home in Lochwinnoch seven years ago.

She has since transformed the one-acre garden from a muddy patch into a horticultural wonderland.

Jane worked on long-haul flights for 32 years and travelled all over the world but her garden has always been her escape.

She got the gardening bug from late dad James while growing up in Gorebridge, near Edinburgh.

From her travels, Jane has been able to collect exotic seeds from all over the world, including Japan, to add to her wildlife paradise.

“I grow everything,” she said. “You name it, I just shove it in the ground and see what happens.

“In particular, I like to grow stuff that bees and the insects can access.

“When I moved here, I noticed there were no butterflies and very little insect life.

The pond had been filled in but now I get everything coming into my garden, including deer and dragonflies, which is incredible to see.”

Jane and Neil moved to Lochwinnoch from Fenwick, in Ayrshire, in 2014.

Since retiring two years ago, she has been able to give the garden her full attention, which helped sow the seeds of her competition success.

Jane added: “The garden has always been a nice solace after being stuck in a plane with 400 people.

“We also have a pond with frogs and nesting birdlife, including woodpeckers, blackbirds and goldfinches.

“I also grow roses, tulips and daffodils. It’s about creating a balance with nature. I recycle as much as I can and don’t use chemicals.”

The most exotic thing Jane has grown is an edible Japanese chrysanthemum.

She also had to make sure that, when bringing plant life from abroad, the new arrivals complied with British laws.

“You can’t just bring seeds in from another country and plant them,” said Jane.

“There are quite strict rules and regulations.”

Jane said she was shocked when she scooped the B&Q prize but plans to put her winnings to good use.

“I just entered for a bit of a laugh when I was in B&Q one day and sent in a few photographs,” she added. “The money will be invested in the garden to hopefully make it even better.”