Britain in Bloom

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RHS Britain in Bloom is the largest horticultural campaign in the United Kingdom. It was first held in 1963, initiated by the British Tourist Board based on the example set by Fleurissement de France (now Conseil national de villes et villages fleuris), which since 1959 has promoted the annual Concours des villes et villages fleuris. [1] It has been organised by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) since 2002.

Contents

The competition is entered by the communities of towns, villages and cities. Different categories exist for various sizes of settlements. Groups are assessed for their achievements in three core pillars: Horticultural Excellence; Environmental Responsibility; and Community Participation.

Over 1,600 communities around the UK enter each year, participating in their local region's "in Bloom" campaign. From these regional competitions, roughly 80 communities are selected to enter the national Finals of RHS Britain in Bloom. [2]

It is a popular campaign, estimated to involve more than 200,000 volunteers in cleaning up and greening up their local area. [3]

Since 2002, the awards have been based on the Royal Horticultural Society's medal standards of Gold, Silver Gilt, Silver and Bronze; [4] the winner is the settlement judged to have most successfully met the rigorous judging criteria. Judging at the regional stage takes place around June/ July; judging for the national stage takes place in August. The results for the UK Finals are announced in September/ October. The competition covers the UK, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

Floral displays play an important part in the contest, but the "Bloom" title is now, perhaps, misleading: in recent years the competition has increasingly assessed how all sectors of the local community are managing their local environment.

In 2006, the RHS introduced the Neighbourhood Awards (now the It's Your Neighbourhood campaign), a grassroots sister campaign to Bloom, supporting smaller, volunteer-led community groups focused on improving their immediate environment.

History

The history of the 'Bloom', as it is colloquially referred to, [5] began in 1963 when Roy Hay MBE, a horticultural journalist, went on holiday to France during the Fleurissement de France and was enthralled by seeing the country "filled to overflowing with flowers, shrubs and trees all in full bloom". His enquiries revealed that President de Gaulle had given orders to brighten up the country and the French Tourist Authority had set up the Fleurissement de France in 1959 (now called Concours des villes et villages fleuris ). Hay was so impressed that he approached the British Tourist Authority (BTA), and he and Len Lickorish, then Director General of the BTA, set up a committee to run a British version, "Britain in Bloom". It was piloted by the British Tourist Authority in 1963 (Lewisham being part of that pilot [6] ), and went national in 1964.

Many organisations were invited to help, including: The Automobile Association; London Tourist Board; National Farmers' Union; London Parks; Institute of Parks and Recreation Administration; National Association of Rural Communities; Royal Horticultural Society; Royal Automobile Club; The Tourist Boards of England, Scotland and Wales; The National Federation of Women's Institutes; Civic Trust; Keep Britain Tidy Group; the Flowers and Plants Council; The Horticultural Trades Association; The British Hotels and Restaurants Association; The Society of Town Clerks; Townswomen's Guild and British Airways. Despite this impressive list, Roy Hay later reflected that the initial reaction of the horticultural trade and local authorities was lukewarm. [5]

Nevertheless, regional committees were quickly formed, and in 1964 Bath became the first national winner. From 1964 to 1969 inclusive there was an overall national winner. From 1970, however, the competition was divided up into a range of categories, because of the difficulty of comparing settlements of different sizes fairly. [5]

The British Tourist Authority managed the competition until 1983 when the Government Department sponsoring the BTA felt that it should relinquish the responsibility. The Tidy Britain Group (the group responsible for the Keep Britain Tidy campaign, now known as EnCams) took over; it already had a long association with the competition. To mark the changeover, 1983 was celebrated as "Beautiful Britain in Bloom Year". [5] Sir Lawrie Barratt of Barratt Developments expressed his support to the Tidy Britain Group for the competition and provided sponsorship until 1989.

More categories and awards were added, in part reflecting a greater range of settlements, but also to recognise other elements of horticulture, including landscaping, and also to recognise the strenuous efforts to beautify the urban areas of the larger cities. McDonald's began sponsoring the competition from 1990, which led to focus on littering behaviour and the implementation of a Children's Painting Competition Calendar. [5] In 2001, the event was organised jointly by EnCams and the Royal Horticultural Society, and from November 2001 the RHS took full control as the organising body of Britain in Bloom. [7]

YearOrganising BodyMain Sponsor
1964 to 1982 British Tourist Authority No main sponsor
1983 to 1989 Tidy Britain Group Barratt Developments
1990 to TBC Tidy Britain Group McDonald's
2001 Tidy Britain Group & Royal Horticultural Society TBC
2002 to 2003 Royal Horticultural Society B&Q (from 2003) [8]
2004 to 2006 Royal Horticultural Society B&Q
2007 to 2009 Royal Horticultural Society Shredded Wheat
2011 to 2011 Royal Horticultural Society Anglian Windows
2012 - Royal Horticultural Society No main sponsor

In 2017, after winning Britain in Bloom Champion of Champions, Elswick admitted to having previously cheated in the competition three years earlier. The volunteers engaged a specialist company to design a display which came in ready assembled trays. [9]

Structure

An emblem on the side of an Arriva bus, celebrating Horsham's 2007 victory in the Small City/Large Town category Arriva Guildford & West Surrey 3082 P282 FPK emblem.JPG
An emblem on the side of an Arriva bus, celebrating Horsham's 2007 victory in the Small City/Large Town category

The competition currently has twelve entry categories, most of which are determined by population size. Within each category, similarly sized communities compete across a spectrum of horticultural endeavour, community participation and environmental responsibility, which includes dealing with issues of litter, graffiti and vandalism. [7]

Judging

RHS Britain in Bloom encompasses 18 Regions/ Nations (12 English regions, as well as Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey).

Judging takes place over two years in two stages:

  1. Regional competition: Entries are first submitted by voluntary local 'Bloom' Committees, depending upon the area, to Local Authorities, Town or Parish Councils. These communities take part in their regional competition, for example South West in Bloom. The local volunteers are colloquially known as "bloomers". [10] Judging takes place in June/July, and winners are announced during local presentations between August and November.
  1. UK-wide: After the judging of the regional stage, Committees representing their nation/region select entrants for the second UK-wide stage. To ensure that effort is sustained over time, this second stage of judging takes place in August the year after they qualify. Winners of the UK judging are announced at a prestigious ceremony in September/October. [11]

National winners

2020 to 2022

KEY
Winner Known
Category Dormant
Category Not Created/No longer exists
Winner unknown/Not known if category exists
YearChampion of Champions [12] Large
City
CitySmall
City
Large
Town
TownSmall
Town
Large
Village
VillageSmall
Village
Urban
Community
Business
Improvement
District
Coastal Resort
Coastal up to 12KCoastal over 12K
2022 [13] Amersham Rochdale Dunstable Amersham Randalstown Cullybackey Cullybackey Community Partnership [13] Ulverston North Berwick
2021 Weymouth
2020

2010 to 2019

YearChampion of Champions [12] Large
City
CitySmall
City
Large
Town
TownSmall
Town
Large
Village
VillageSmall
Village
Urban
Community
Business
Improvement
District
Coastal Resort
Coastal up to 12KCoastal over 12K
2019 Perth Amersham Goring-on-Thames Green Moor Bath, Somerset & Canary Wharf Llandudno
2018 Truro Aberdeen Perth Royal Hillsborough Halesowen
2017 Elswick [14]
2016 [15] Ahoghill Wigan Aberdeen Harrogate Coleraine Haddington Freckleton Hillsborough Castlecaulfield and Elswick, joint winnersnot awardedKippax,
Leeds
not awarded St Brelade, Jersey Southport
2015 [16] Norton in Hales Birmingham Dundee Bury St Helier, Jersey Falmouth Ahoghill Coupar Angus Spofforth Wolfscastle Woodlesford London Bridge St Pierre du Bois, Guernsey Cleethorpes
2014 Shrewsbury Sunderland Oldham Bath Truro Shevington & District and Halstead, joint winners Dunnington Hillsborough Moorsholm and Norton in Hales, joint winners Bray VillagePort Marine & Village Quarter (Portishead) Hunstanton St Peter Port
2013 Lytham Edinburgh London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and Stockton-on-Tees,

joint winners

Shrewsbury Biddulph Morpeth Ahoghill Coupar Angus Pembridge Barton in Fabis and Scarva, joint winners Woolton (Liverpool) Aberdour Village and Dartmouth, joint winners Prestatyn
2012 Broughshane Birmingham Oldham Loughborough Belper Halstead Wimborne Market Bosworth Spofforth Stanghow Chirk (Wales) and Kippax (Leeds), joint winners Lytham and North Berwick Herne Bay
2011 Cricklade Bristol Stockton-on-Tees Derry Glenrothes Rustington St Martin, Guernsey Broughshane Luddenden Loughgall Uddingston Whitby Cleethorpes
2010 Falkland Sunderland Tameside Crawley Perth City of London Garstang Comrie Norton in Hales Stanghow and Wolfscastle Beighton, Sheffield North Berwick Scarborough, North Yorkshire

2000 to 2009

YearChampion of Champions [12] Large
City
CitySmall
City
Large
Town
TownSmall
Town
Small Country TownLarge
Village
VillageSmall
Village
Urban
Regeneration
Urban
Community
Coastal Resort
Coastal up to 12KCoastal over 12K
2009 Falkland [17] London Borough of Croydon Stockton-on-Tees Harrogate Wisbech Thornbury [18] [19] Pitlochry Broughshane, Northern Ireland Chipping, Lancashire Tarrington Village Birmingham City Centre St Brelade, Jersey Cleethorpes
2008 [20] Nottingham Sheffield Solihull Taunton Perth Forres Cricklade Falkland, Scotland Earsdon Ravenfield Chapelfield, Norwich Clifton Village, Bristol Herm, Guernsey Exmouth
2007 [21] Broughshane, Northern Ireland Nottingham, East Midlands Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham Horsham, South East England Bury St Edmunds, Anglia Oakham, East Midlands Grouville, Jersey Comrie, Scotland Darley, Yorkshire Nominations but No WinnersSt Philip's & St Paul's Floral Trail, Heart of England Uddingston, Scotland Cleethorpes, East Midlands
2006 Alness, Scotland No Nominations Aberdeen, Scotland Shrewsbury, Heart of England Perth, Scotland Brightlingsea, Anglia St Martin's Parish, Guernsey Broughshane, Northern Ireland Norton in Hales, Heart of England Ravenfield Seedley and Langworthy, North West England Starbeck, Yorkshire Scarborough, Yorkshire
2005 Cardiff Derry Newcastle-under-Lyme Durham Hexham Garstang Usk Heysham Bray St Philip's & St Paul's Floral Trail, Birmingham Spondon in Derby Sidmouth
2004 Stockport Derby Bath Perth Ilkley Alness Broughshane Appleton Wiske Sorn Coventry City Centre Dyce St Ives and Carbis Bay Bridlington
2003 Nottingham Cheltenham Harrogate Barnstaple Ledbury Pitlochry Darley Dale Drumnadrochit Un­knownUn­known The Mumbles Filey Eastbourne
2002 Bournemouth Oxford Perth Bridgnorth Alness Garstang Broughshane Filby Un­knownUn­known Blackley Herm Southport
2001 Nottingham Bath
Durham
St. Helier, Jersey Dungannon Sidmouth Pitlochry Comrie Thorpe Salvin Un­knownUn­known Port Sunlight Un­knownUn­known
2000 Sunderland Un­known Perth Un­knownUn­known Pateley Bridge & Bewerley Bampton [22] [23] Beddgelert [24] Scarva Un­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­known

1964 to 1999

Details to 1990 from Graham Ashworth CBE, Britain in Bloom, The Tidy Britain Group (Wigan:1991) [25]

KEY
Winner Known
Category Dormant
Category Not Created/No longer exists
Winner unknown/Not known if category exists
YearLarge
City
CitySmall
City
Large
Town
TownSmall
Town
Small Country TownLarge
Village
VillageSmall
Village
Urban
Regeneration
Urban
Community
Coastal Resort
Coastal up to 12KCoastal over 12K
1999Un­knownUn­knownUn­known Barnstaple Forres Pitlochry Broughshane Beddgelert [24] Un­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­known
1998Un­known Woking Perth Alcester Alness Waringstown Bampton [22] [23] Un­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­known
1997 Nottingham Un­knownUn­known Barnstaple Moira Un­known Broughshane Un­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­known
1996Un­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­known Beddgelert [24] Un­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­known
1995Un­known Bath Perth Barnstaple Un­knownUn­knownUn­known Beddgelert [24] Un­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­known
1994Un­known Bath Un­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­known
1993Un­knownUn­known Perth Un­known Moira Un­known Broughshane &
Bampton [22] [23]
Beddgelert [24] Un­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­known
1992Un­knownUn­known Harrogate Un­knownUn­knownUn­known Saintfield Un­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­known
1991Un­knownUn­known Guildford Un­knownUn­knownUn­known Bampton [22] [23] Un­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­knownUn­known
1990 Westminster Bath Whickham Ilkley Moira Saintfield Catcott Walbottle
1989 Oxford Telford Falkirk Forres Bampton [22] [23] St. Florence
1988 Cardiff Cheltenham Bury Kelso Market Bosworth Llandinam
1987 Aberdeen Douglas, Isle of Man Stratford upon Avon Lympstone Lund
1986 Shrewsbury Harrogate Forres Usk Sampford Courtenay
1985 Cheltenham Crewe &
Torquay
Moira Lympstone Lund
1984 Bath Whickham Sidmouth Pateley Bridge with Bewerley Sampford Courtenay
1983 Swansea Harrogate Kelso Lympstone
1982 Middlesbrough Eastbourne Forres Lund
1981 Bath Harrogate Sidmouth Pateley Bridge with Bewerley &
St. John's Town of Dalry
1980 Exeter Douglas, Isle of Man Ryton Killingworth
1979 Aberdeen Harrogate Falmouth &
St Andrews
Holywell Village,Northumberland.
1978 Bath Douglas, Isle of Man Sidmouth Aberdovey &
Carrington
1977 Aberdeen Harrogate Wolviston
1976 Bath Harrogate Bampton [22] [23]
1975 Bath Sidmouth Clovelly
1974 Aberdeen &
City of London
Shrewsbury Clovelly
1973 Aberdeen Bridlington &
Falmouth
Ryton
1972 Bath and
Hartlepool
Ayr Chagford
1971 Aberdeen Falmouth Abington
1970 Aberdeen Falmouth Abington
1969 Aberdeen
Overall National Winners
1968 Bath
Overall National Winners
1967 City of London
Overall National Winners
1966 Exeter &
Middlesbrough
Joint Overall National Winners
1965 Aberdeen
Overall National Winners
1964 Bath
Overall National Winners

Subsequent competitions

From the winners and finalists of RHS Britain in Bloom, entries are picked to represent Britain in international competitions such as the Entente Florale . [26]

Discretionary awards

(Definition Source) (Definition Source)

1971 to 1999

Year
1971 
 
1972 
 
1973 
 
1974 
 
1975 
 
1976 
 
1977 
 
1978 
 
1979 
 
1980 
 
1981 
 
1982 
 
1983 
 
1984 
 
1985 
 
1986 
 
1987 
 
1988 
 
1989 
 
1990 
 
1992 
 
1996 
 
1999 
 
HorticultureEnvironmentCommunityCommercialPride of PlaceTourismBest Public ParkConservation and WildlifeOutstanding ContributionBest Inner CityYoung PeopleHeritage
Bath  
 
Bath  
 
Bath Bridlington  
 
Bath Clovelly  
 
City of London London Borough of Camden  
 
Bath Wolviston Mr C B Preece
West Country in Bloom
 
 
Bath Exeter Mr P Conn
Ex Parks Director, City of Liverpool
 
 
Swansea Holywell Dr D W Huebner
Chairman Yorkshire and Humberside in Bloom
 
 
Belfast York Douglas Mr B Wolley
Chairman Northumberland in Bloom
 
 
Paisley Belfast Sidmouth Forres  
 
Stockport Strathclyde Bath Largs Mr H Parker
Assistant Director of Environment (Parks) Swansea City Council
 
 
Swansea Kirkcaldy Harold Peirce, Arthur Allen, Brian Pattenden, Nigel Rogers - Eastbourne Parks Dept Stratford upon Avon Stratford upon Avon (posthumous)
Bob Hare
 
 
Ryton Aberdeen Tevrnspite, Dyfed Sidmouth Cheltenham David Welch
Director of Leisure and Recreation, Aberdeen
 
 
Cheltenham Forres St. David's Centre, Cardiff Nantwich East Sleekburn George Dick
Village orderly of Ballinamallard
 
 
Douglas Crewe Tom Dobbins, Babbacombe Model Village, Devon Torquay Market Bosworth Dr W Dally
Edzell
 
 
Shrewsbury Belfast Walter Dinning, Parks Department, Gateshead Nantwich Sorn Leonard Likorish
former Director General of the British Tourist Authority
 
 
Bath Crewe The Japanese Garden, Aberdeen Stratford upon Avon Bury St Edmunds Jim Woods
Killyleagh
 
 
Bury St Edmunds Plymouth Moffat Gorey, Jersey Exeter Lewis McAvoy
Chief Technical Officer Lisburn Borough Council
Oxford  
 
Morpeth Telford Saintfield in Bloom Committee Bournemouth Moira Muriel Preece
Organiser of West Country in Bloom
Leeds  
 
Southport Swansea Guildford J Sainsbury plc Nuneaton and Bedworth Keswick
[27] [ better source needed ]
George Tomlinson
Crewe
Plymouth  
 
Bath  
 
Nottingham  
 
Nottingham, Hyson Green  
 

2000 to 2009

Year
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
HorticultureEnvironmentCommunityCommercialPride of PlaceTourismBest Public ParkConservation and WildlifeOutstanding ContributionBest Inner CityYoung PeopleHeritage
Portsmouth
Bath St. Helier - Harbour ApproachKeyMed, Southend on Sea Newcastle upon Tyne Lynton & Lynmouth The Crichton Dumfries Tatsfield Pupils and teachers at Applegrove Primary School, Forres Leeds
Stafford Oxford - Arlington Business Park Saltburn by the Sea Doxford International Business Park, Sunderland Newcastle-under-Lyme - Meadows Residents Association Drumnadrochit & Brighton and Hove Johnston Park Aberdeen London Borough of Bromley Carolyn Wilson, Alness
Falkland Guildford Coleraine Normanton Aberdeen Barnstaple Botanic Gardens Bath Bury St. Edmunds Malcolm Wood, Nottingham
Perth Sheffield - Peace GardenSeedley and Langworthy (Salford)Bracknell Flowers, Bracknell Market Bosworth Falkland Jephson Gardens Royal Leamington Spa Tilgate Centre, Crawley Doug StaceySheffield and Market Harborough
Nottingham North Berwick The Friends of Norwich in BloomFareham Memorial Gardens Manchester City Centre Hexham University Park Nottingham Rottingdean Jeanette Warke, Londonderry
Shrewsbury St. Helier - Waterfront Falkland Taylors of Harrogate, Starbeck Norton in Hales Scarborough Greyfriars Green Coventry Durlston Country Park, Swanage Clifford Prout, Old Colwyn
Grouville Bury St. Edmunds and Abbots Green School Nottingham White Rose shopping centre, Beeston Duffus and North Berwick Cleethorpes Mount Edgcumbe Park Plymouth Cardiff Bay Christel MacIntosh, Alness
Perth Sheffield Cricklade Ocean Road, South Shields Sheffield Douglas, Isle of Man Ravelin Park Southsea North Meadow, Cricklade Terry BaneApplegrove School, Forres
Rustington Bangor - Bangor Walled Garden Earsdon St. Brelade's Bay HotelSt Andrew's, Scotland Chipping, Lancashire Harrogate - Valley GardensFarthing Downs and New Hill, London Borough of Croydon Vic VerrierFalklandEston, North Yorkshire and Plymouth

2010 to 2016

Year
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
HorticultureEnvironmentCommunityCommercialPride of PlaceTourismBest Public ParkConservation and WildlifeOutstanding ContributionYoung PeopleSchoolHeritageEnvironmental Responsibility
Coleraine City of London Crawley Beighton, Sheffield Tameside Harrogate Bristol Zoo Solihull Ken Powles and Susan Smith Douglas, Isle of Man Portchester Northern Community School, FarehamHalstead
BuryUniversity of Edinburgh - Pollock CampusChirk (Wrexham)Graythwaite Manor Hotel, Grange over SandsDerry City, UlsterTenby, WalesRoyal Botanic Gardens, EdinburghAvon Gorge & Downs, BristolJim KnightWee FIBbees, Forres, ScotlandSpring Common School, Moor (Huntingdon)
BirminghamSt Helier, JerseyLoughboroughHendra Caravan Park, NewquayOldhamJoint winners: Herm, Guernsey; and Great YarmouthCannon Hill Park, BirminghamKippax (Leeds)John Woodward and Clive AddisonJoint winners: St George's Crypt, Leeds; and Stone, StaffordshireSt Bede's Catholic High School, LythamChirk (Wrexham)Thornbury Community Composting Site, Thornbury
Glenrothes Diamond Jubilee Gardens, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames Biddulph, Coupar Angus, Edinburgh, Hunmanby, Prestatyn, Stanghow and Starbeck Sanderson Arcade and Bus Station, Morpeth Stockton-on-Tees Bournemouth The Dingle, Shrewsbury Saint Brélade Alan Heath, Cumbria, Maurice Baren, Yorkshire and Patsy Clark MBE, Northumbria Dartmouth, Morpeth and Prestatyn Oakley School, Tunbridge Wells Eston (Middlesbrough) Bury
Oldham London Bridge Truro Stockley Park, HillingdonPort Marine & Village Quarter (Portishead) Shrewsbury Roundhay Park, Leeds Tresco Walter Dinning and Mark Wasilewski MVO Immingham Joint winners: St Mary's School, Dalton with Newton, and Edith Cavell Academy and Nursery School, Norwich Pitlochry

Regions

There are 18 Regions/ Nations "in Bloom", each of which coordinate regional campaigns in their area. The regions of the UK and Crown dependencies used in the competition are (with reference to ceremonial counties and government office regions):

Country or Region within the U.K.RegionNameNotes
England Anglia (East of England region) Anglia in Bloom
England Cumbria Cumbria in Bloom
England East Midlands (as region) East Midlands in Bloom
EnglandHeart of England Heart of England in Bloom Heart of England includes Gloucestershire (minus South Gloucestershire), Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, and Worcestershire
EnglandLondon London in Bloom
England Northumbria (as North East England) Northumbria in Bloom
England North West England North West in Bloom (as region, less Cumbria)
England South East England South & South East in Bloom (East Sussex, Kent, West Sussex, Surrey)
EnglandSouth West England Southwest in Bloom (Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, western Dorset, Somerset, South Gloucestershire, most of Wiltshire)
EnglandSouthern England South & South East in Bloom (eastern Dorset, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, southern Wiltshire)
EnglandThames and Chilterns Thames & Chilterns in Bloom (Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire)
England Yorkshire Yorkshire in Bloom
Northern Ireland Ulster (Northern Ireland) Ulster in Bloom (Competition does not include all of Ulster; only includes Northern Ireland)
Scotland Scotland Beautiful Scotland
Wales Wales Wales in Bloom
Isle of Man Isle of Man Isle of Man in BloomCampaign is temporarily suspended (2011)
Guernsey Guernsey Floral Guernsey
Jersey Jersey Jersey in Bloom

RHS It's Your Neighbourhood

RHS It's Your Neighbourhood [28] is part of the wider RHS Britain in Bloom initiative, helping volunteer-led groups to improve their local area. Any group can take part, as long as it is volunteer-led and involved in hands-on community gardening. It should also be working with the community for the benefit of the community. Participating groups care for all sorts of spaces - from local parks and gardens, to odd grot-spots which have been transformed and shared residential spaces or alleyways.

The campaign was launched by the RHS in 2006 to support grassroots community gardening and there are currently more than 1,300 registered groups. (2012)

The initiative works around the same three pillars of assessment as RHS Britain in Bloom: Community Participation, Gardening Achievement and Environmental Responsibility; however, it is not a competitive campaign. Participating groups receive an annual visit from an It's Your Neighbourhood assessor, who provides feedback and tips for how to develop projects, and each group receives a certificate of achievement from the RHS.

It's Your Neighbourhood is free to enter and open to groups of all sizes.

Source of civic pride

Guildford welcome sign displaying Britain in Bloom credentials GuildfordWelcomeSign.jpg
Guildford welcome sign displaying Britain in Bloom credentials

Winning a category within Britain in Bloom at a national or even regional level has proved to be a source of considerable civic pride for the towns, cities and villages involved. Many of the authorities of the winning locations do advertise their achievements on signs within, or more predominantly on the outskirts of their settlement. One journalist stated that "Since Britain In Bloom began in 1963 … nothing has pleased town councillors more than to hammer up a sign at the outskirts of their kingdom trumpeting superiority to incoming visitors… Few events provide a sterner test of civic pride." [10] Examples include Garstang where the sign that leads to the high street at the heart of the town says, above the name "Garstang", Britain In Bloom Small Town – Gold Award Winners 2002, 2005, and "Invitation Finalists to Champion of Champions 2006", [10] or Guildford, which advertises its past triumph in the Town category on its welcome signs.

Further reading

References and notes

  1. "Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea - About In Bloom". Archived from the original on 6 September 2008.
  2. "Supporting communities improving their environment through gardening". rhs.
  3. "RHS Britain in Bloom campaign statistics". Archived from the original on 8 August 2011.
  4. The Garden (Journal of The Royal Horticultural Society), October 2002, p752
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Graham Ashworth CBE, Britain in Bloom, pages 7 & 8, The Tidy Britain Group (Wigan:1991)
  6. "Lewisham in Bloom heroes pick up awards" . Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  7. 1 2 "Woolton in Bloom" . Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  8. The Garden (Journal of The Royal Horticultural Society), April 2003, p233
  9. Ward, Victoria (28 October 2017). "Britain in Bloom winning Lancashire village claims it once 'cheated' by getting ready made displays delivered". The Telegraph. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  10. 1 2 3 "archive.ph". archive.ph. Archived from the original on 29 June 2007.
  11. "Britain in Bloom / RHS Gardening". www.rhs.org.uk.
  12. 1 2 3 From Bloom Review, Issue 8, Spring 2006 [ permanent dead link ]: Champion of Champions - This is a category within the RHS Britain in Bloom UK Finals where selected communities, of all population sizes, who have demonstrated sustained high standards in the Bloom campaign, are invited to compete for the title of ‘Champion of Champions’. These entries are judged against the Bloom criteria relevant to their population, and then compared to determine the overall winner.
  13. 1 2 "Britain in Bloom awards and results" . Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  14. Finalists 2017 rhs.org.uk
  15. "RHS Britain in Bloom 2016 UK Finals Full Results". Britain in Bloom. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  16. "RHS Britain in Bloom 2015 UK Finals Full Results". Britain in Bloom. Archived from the original on 21 April 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  17. "Britain in Bloom winners announced". Archived from the original on 26 December 2011. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
  18. "Thornbury in Bloom" . Retrieved 20 February 2012.
  19. "Thornbury bags gold for blooms". BBC News. 24 September 2009. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
  20. "RHS Britain in Bloom Awards Winners 2008". Archived from the original on 9 September 2010.
  21. "RHS Britain in Bloom Awards Winners 2007". Archived from the original on 19 February 2009.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Welcome to Bamton, Devon" . Retrieved 20 February 2012.
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Bampton in Bloom achievements" . Retrieved 20 February 2012.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 "Beddgelert village". Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  25. Graham Ashworth CBE, Britain in Bloom, The Tidy Britain Group (Wigan:1991)
  26. The Entente Florale itself has taken different forms, such as the "ENTENTE FLORALE – Ten Nations Competition" and the "ENTENTE FLORALE – Britain - France - Belgium Competition"
  27. "About us" . Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  28. "RHS It's Your Neighbourhood". RHS Gardening.

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Ravenfield is a small village and civil parish in South Yorkshire, England. It is located in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham, 3.3 miles (5.3 km) east of the town of Rotherham. The older part is a former farming village and over recent years has become a pretty rural community; it has been particularly successful in the Britain in Bloom competitions. It has a population of 2,018, increasing to 2,828 at the 2011 census.

Roy Hay MBE, VMH was a British horticultural journalist and broadcaster. He was the author of many publications and the instigator of many organisations and events, including the annual Britain in Bloom competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Seabrook</span> British gardener and broadcaster (1935–2022)

Peter John Seabrook MBE was a British gardening writer and television broadcaster, presenting programmes including the BBC's Gardeners' World. He wrote a gardening column in The Sun newspaper for over 40 years. He was appointed an MBE in 2005.

Christopher Paul Beardshaw is a British garden designer, plantsman, author, speaker, and broadcaster.

Front Yards in Bloom is a recognition program that celebrates attractive front yards in Edmonton. Front yards are nominated by the general public, local gardeners, and postal workers. Volunteers with the Edmonton Horticultural Society then visit each nominated front yard to deliver their congratulations, post a "Front Yards in Bloom" lawn sign, and evaluate the yard. Awards are given at the annual Edmonton in Bloom Awards event.

Paul Hervey-Brookes is an multi-award-winning garden designer broadcaster, lecturer and plantsman who lives in the Cotswolds, England near Tetbury and also in the Loire Valley in France where his garden is occasionally open to the public. Paul is known for a "plants first" approach to design and created highly evocative landscapes

America In Bloom (AIB) is an independent, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization which promotes, recognizes, and celebrates community enhancement programs across the US. America in Bloom sponsors an annual nationwide competition between participating communities and provides related educational programs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Domoney</span> Horticulturist and TV gardening presenter

David Martin Domoney, C Hort. FCI Hort is an English Chartered Horticulturist and celebrity gardener. He co-presents the TV gardening programme Love Your Garden, alongside Alan Titchmarsh, and is the resident gardener on ITV1's This Morning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Concours des villes et villages fleuris</span> Annual French contest

The Concours des villes et villages fleuris is an annual French contest. It aims to encourage communes to adopt and implement policies improving the quality of life of their inhabitants and enhancing their attractiveness to visitors through the provision and maintenance of green spaces and the enhancement of their natural environments. Successful communes are awarded the right to display a badge on road signs and in other local promotional material.

Marsh Charitable Trust, also known as Marsh Christian Trust, is a national charity in the United Kingdom, based in London. It is a registered charity under English law, and was established in 1981 by Brian Marsh, the current Chairman. Marsh was appointed an OBE for services to business and charity in the 2005 New Year Honours.

Keep Scotland Beautiful is an environmental charity based in Scotland, which aims “to make Scotland a cleaner, greener and more sustainable place to live, work and visit.” The organisation campaigns and educates on a range of environmental issues including climate change and litter reduction.

Michael Perry is an English celebrity gardener and podcast presenter. He presents a show, Michael Perry’s Garden, on QVC UK, and has appeared on ITV1’s This Morning and Channel 4's Steph's Packed Lunch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Lane (broadcaster)</span> TV gardening presenter and designer

Mark Lane is a British television presenter, landscape designer, columnist, radio broadcaster and writer.