Truro wins Britain in Bloom 2018
The Cornish City of Truro has been awarded the top prize and crowned ‘Champion of Champions’ in the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Britain in Bloom 2018 Awards. The award comes for Truro after what judges have declared the toughest year on record for gardening with communities nationwide fighting to keep blooms alive.
Truro was able to beat the heat by opting for exotic, drought-tolerant planting including cacti, palms and Mediterranean herbs. They employed a purpose built solar powered rainwater harvesting system and wowed the judges with more than a thousand hanging baskets and floral features.
The City also benefitted from a partnership with the local council which sees the parks department, local businesses and residents working together on issues ranging from planning and decision-making to volunteering, plant donations and discounts.
This year, a total of 76 communities entered the competition across 12 categories with Truro triumphing over stiff competition. Each is nominated for the UK finals based on their regional success and judged on their horticultural achievement, community participation and environmental responsibility, taking home either a gold, silver gilt, silver or bronze medal.
Darren Share, Chair of the RHS Britain in Bloom judges, said: “Congratulations to Truro who aren’t far off turning the city centre into one big garden with imaginative plantings and practical partnerships. To create such an outstanding entry in the searing heat and drought conditions is testament to the hard work and commitment that the whole community puts in.”
Aberdeen won the City category and were awarded Gold as well as an RHS Discretionary Award for Growing Communities. The winner of the Village category went to Castlecaulfield in Ulster (Gold), with Durham scooping Small City and Gold.
In the Coastal (over 12k) category St Helier, Jersey won the category and Gold while Perth took Gold and category winner for Large Town. Kingsbridge (Gold) took the Small Town category and Halesowen Urban Community (Silver-Gilt).
East Haven were category winners of the Coastal (under 12k) (Gold) and Hillsborough (Ulster) struck Gold and won the Large Village category. In the Town category, Linlithgow were awarded Gold and category winner while Wisbech secured the BIDS, Town & City Centres (Gold) category.
Britain in Bloom is the UK’s biggest community gardening campaign and involves up to 300,000 passionate local volunteers who work year-round to keep our neighbourhoods and streets green, clean and thriving.
Discretionary Awards were also given to Amersham, Thames & Chilterns, for recognition in engaging with, supporting and inspiring young members of the community; Sidmouth for Gardening in a Changing Climate; Aberdeen for Growing Communities; Newcastle-under-Lyme and Ballymena, joint winners of the Wild About Gardens award and Perth, Scotland for the Parks and Green Spaces Award.
The campaign also recognises volunteers who have gone over and above to make their Bloom campaign and success and this year saw nine volunteers receive this honour.
The full results can be found here.
Photo credit: Banner above, Truro in Bloom, ©RHS credit Jim Wileman
