Winners Get Awards for Making Guildford A Blooming Good Borough

Published on: 18 Sep, 2015
Updated on: 22 Sep, 2015

The garden of Heather and Neil Markham, of Compton, overall winners of this year’s Guildford in Bloom competition.

All that’s great about Guildford’s green-fingered community was celebrated on Wednesday night (September 16), as the winners of this year’s Guildford in Bloom awards picked up their prizes.

This year 67 entrants took part in eight categories, from small container gardens to allotments and wildlife gardens to local businesses.

The Markham’s overall winning garden was also the winner of the Best Large Garden category.

Cllr Paul Spooner, chairman of Guildford in Bloom says: “Guildford in Bloom is a fantastic community event that’s getting better every year. We’d like to thank everyone who took the time to enter their gardens, allotments and schools for this year’s competition. The committee would also like to thank the council’s parks and leisure team for their hard work in supporting this excellent annual event.”

The awards ceremony took place at Burchatt’s Farm Barn at Stoke Park with over 150 attendees, including local school children. Despite the stormy weather the night was a great celebration of gardening in Guildford.

It was not the occasion for the council’s own parks and gardens to receive awards but by common consent the displays in the castle grounds and elsewhere in the town and borough have been excellent once again this year and much admired.

Cllr Richard Billington, lead councillor for rural economy, countryside, parks and leisure added: “Guildford in Bloom really brings the local community together to help make the most of the great borough we live in. It’s wonderful to see more entries than ever this year, especially from local schools.”

Pupils from St Joseph’s Catholic School receiving their award for the best allotment.

Two local schools were among the winners. Holy Trinity and Pewley Down Primary Schools won the Best Wildlife Garden and St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School were one of three contestants who won Best Allotment.

The headmistress at St Joseph’s Mrs Kemp-Powell said: “Congratulations to all those involved, including last year’s Year 3 children, for all the enthusiasm and effort.

Alison Tester from Holy Trinity School said: “The children were delighted to win an award and particularly enjoyed attending the award ceremony.  Sheila Manson organised the entry and worked with the children to produce the wonderful displays planted in recycled containers, which the children brought in from home.

“All of the plants were purchased from the market  in Guildford and we would like to thank the stall holders for their generosity and patience. The planters are flowering well and have given a splash of colour to the start of the new school year.”

The Mayor, Cllr Nikki Nelson-Smith presents the overall winner award for to Heather Markham.

In total 55 prizes were awarded; 19 gardeners picked up the top Gold award. Best in Show were Heather and Neil Markham for their entry in the Best Large Front Garden category.

Heather said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be rewarded with Best in Competition. With so many fabulous gardens entering Guildford In Bloom this year, the three awards we won were an unexpected but delightful reflection of efforts.

“Our motivation was just to bring some colour to the village and to inspire the many passes by who showed admiration.

“Guildford In Bloom is a really worthwhile cause not least for the benefits to all the wildlife.  Thank you to the Guildford In Bloom team and all the judges.”

The gold award winners were:
• Best wildlife garden – Holy Trinity and Pewley Down Primary Schools
• Best vegetable/kitchen garden – Geoffrey Tidy
• Best container garden – Jack Thornber
• Best small front garden – Lyn Worswick, Evelyn Clemens, Lisa Keech
• Best large front garden – Mary Lawrence, Rosemary Yvonne Tribe, David Jobson, Heather and Neil Markham
• Best Business in Bloom – The Keep Pub, The King’s Head, The Stoke Hotel, The Britannia
• Best neighbourhood project – Pewley Down Volunteers, Snakey Lane Wildlife Area
• Best allotment – St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Bill and Heather Fordham, Neil Gatwick.

The full list of winners is available at www.guildford.gov.uk/guildfordinbloom

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