I spent many months writing in the press about the state of the garden in front of Spinola Palace, in St Julians. In those days it was dirty, untidy and literally full of rubbish.

This was a pity because it was situated right in the middle of one of our best tourist areas and on the only route to the Hilton hotel, one of Malta's finest and most prestigious tourist establishments.

Finally, after many months, a private public partnership was organised to embellish the garden and to maintain it and keep it secure.

Then we waited with baited breath. What was going to happen? Was this going to be a disaster like so many other good ideas? Was it going to be left to decay and return to its former state?

Well, the garden was built. It was landscaped and it had security gates that were closed every evening and opened every morning to keep vandals away. That was the theory anyway.

What actually happened in practice?

Well, wonders upon wonders, it worked. It actually worked. The garden looks better and better every day. It is not vandalised and everybody seems to love it, use it and appreciate it.

What happened? Why this success?

Well, the gardens were designed well in the first place, and the plants selected were excellent. The security seemed to be appreciated and a certain pride has descended on the area.

But is that the reason it is so successful?

No, this is not the reason.

What is the reason of its success?

Well, I will tell you.

This garden, and it is quite a large garden, is looked after by one man. He is there every day, looking after the whole place with such loving care. He cleans it, prunes it, plants it, mows it, trims it, and it seems to be his life.

I can't believe how lucky we are that this gem of a man came along and was given the task of looking after this treasure that we now have.

This is a prime example, to show what one man, working with love, can achieve for the benefit and satisfaction of himself and of so many others.

I hope, really hope, that this first class man will stay with us for a very long time, and I hope that one day he will be recognised by his peers, as a worker who does his job so very, very well.

He wouldn't stand out in a crowd. He wouldn't be your typical hero. He probably wouldn't even know that someone is watching and appreciating his efforts.

But in my eyes he is a hero, an unsung hero. Malta has so many. You just have to find them and notice them as I have done with this exceptional man.