Shropshire cleans up at gardening awards

Shrewsbury achieved the highest possible accolade in the RHS’s Heart of England in Bloom It’s Your Neighbourhood and Parks and Open Spaces Awards, with Shifnal, Ludlow and Albrighton also scooping the awards..

In the It’s Your Neighbourhood awards Bowbrook Allotment Community, Hermitage Garden Group and Severn Hospice in Bicton Heath and at Apley Castle all achieved Level 5 “Outstanding” Awards from the Royal Horticultural Society as part of its community gardening campaign along with Lorne Court in Ludlow, Shifnal Millennium Sensory Garden and The Albrighton Trust, moat and gardens. This is the highest level achievable. Haven Court in Shrewsbury was given a level four 'thriving' award.

The scheme is part of Britain in Bloom and supports community groups in cleaning and greening up their immediate local environment - whether that’s the street they live in, or a small patch of communal land needing a revamp.

Any group can join as long as it is volunteer led and involved in hands-on community gardening.

Angela Hoare from the Shifnal Millennium Sensory Garden said she was delighted with the results.

Judith Williams, from Hermitage Garden Group said: “Our community gardeners are delighted that the judges awarded us a Level 5, and loved our garden as much as we do. The pleasure gained by gardeners, three years to 80 years-old, is huge and to gain such comments from the RHS judges who appreciated the horticultural skill, social element, and the inclusion of the whole area, shows us all what a great facility we have.”

Keith Roberts, Shrewsbury in Bloom chairman added: “This is fantastic news for our three local community groups which have proved once again that Shrewsbury is blooming marvellous. These outstanding results contribute further toward Shrewsbury’s enviable position as the Town of Flowers, which is thanks, in part, to our hard-working volunteers.”

In the Parks and Open Spaces category, Shrewsbury won Silver for Copthorne Park and Gold for the Castle grounds.

Helen Ball, town clerk for Shrewsbury Town Council, said: “The Bloom campaign has brought out the very best in our local community; educating and creating awareness of the local environment and getting groups to participate in projects to enhance their local areas. I am delighted that all the groups who entered the competition achieved the highest accolades possible.’