Another Spelthorne in Bloom has drawn to a close. Running since 1989, Spelthorne in Bloom encourages residents to garden and tend and encourages a sense of civic pride in our communities. It celebrates the work of the borough’s green fingered residents and is about making the borough beautiful.
There is no doubt that gardening is good for wellbeing and mental health. That is in addi-tion to the benefits it brings to the environ-ment and community. This annual event would not happen without the volunteers who run it, and without the gardeners who take part.
Edward Barker from Sunbury Cemetery Al-lotments scooped first prize in the Best Kept Allotment category, seen here collecting his award from Leader of the Council, Joanne Sexton.
Friends of Kenyngton Manor Park were high-ly commended in both Best Environmental Planting Project and Best Kept Community Garden. Debbie Harrison came second in the Best Riverside Garden category and The Flower Pot took third in the Best Kept Small Pub category, sponsored by Village Matters, beaten to first place by The Three Horseshoes at the end of Shepperton High Street.
Sunbury did extremely well in the South and South East in Bloom awards again, with the Sunbury Walled Garden and Sunbury Ceme-tery both taking Gold!
The awards evening was a genuine celebra-tion and a special thanks was given to Dennis Codd and his team at Spelthorne Council for the fantastic hanging baskets which brighten the borough up during the year. The planting and care ensures we have a magnificent dis-play for so many months, come rain or shine!
Spelthorne in Bloom will open again in the spring for 2024. this is your chance to make a new year’s resolution and get your garden ‘award ready’. Well, why not?! Sunbury could do with some more entries and winners since Leslie Grimes from Manor Lane retired from the competition. He had had a fantastic run of wins over the years!
The committee is always looking out for new members too, if you fancy being part of the operation behind the scenes. And if you might be interested in sponsoring an award you would be welcome too. Please contact Emma Paver for more information. Email Spelthorne.inBloom@spelthorne.gove.uk or call 01784 446379.
It was great to see the launch evening at Squire’s and the awards presentation at Notcutts. Thank you everyone for the part you play.