ragwert Posted September 29, 2014 Report Posted September 29, 2014 Taken from Herefordshire Council web site Hereford scooped gold in this year’s Britain in Bloom competition run by the Royal Horticultural Society. Green-fingered Balfour Beatty Living Places (BBLP) helped secure the coveted accolade with vibrant floral displays. Cllr Paul Rone, Herefordshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, said he was delighted that the city had secured top horticultural honours. “This is a wonderful award and richly deserved by everyone who has worked so hard to make the city an even more attractive place, both for the people who live here and for our visitors. “I am delighted that BBLP has been able to support this campaign which brings communities together and does something that genuinely brightens local environments.†BBLP crews pulled out all the stops from designing colourful displays to reflect the 50th anniversary of the competition and the start of World War 1 to planting and maintaining the flower beds, planters and baskets. Trevor Swindells, chairman of Hereford in Bloom, added: “I cannot praise the workforce of Balfour Beatty enough. They did a great job to ensure the judging went well.†Sean Pockett, BBLP’s ground maintenance supervisor, spoke of the pride the whole team felt about the competition: “This is much more than just a job for us. We are hugely proud that the planting schemes we’ve nurtured have proved a hit with the Britain in Bloom judges.†Among the colourful floral displays were swathes of poppies and many gold flowers to mark the two anniversaries. Hereford in Bloom secured sponsorship to ensure the city bloomed and the City Council funded the watering. Also, Pembridge and Lyonshall were awarded gold, Bromyard and Leominster were awarded silver gilt and Burghill picked up silver. Judging criteria for the competition are: horticultural achievement, environmental responsibility and community participation. Quote
ragwert Posted September 29, 2014 Author Report Posted September 29, 2014 Anyone spotted any flowers in Hereford City this year? Quote
stupidfrustration Posted September 29, 2014 Report Posted September 29, 2014 Ragwert - in answer to your question - YES - and so did the judges. Could there have been more? Yes. Quote
dippyhippy Posted September 29, 2014 Report Posted September 29, 2014 I think the temporary "field" that the bull stood in was what swung it! Seriously though, we should all applaud the efforts of Mr Swindells - no easy task at the best of times, even more difficult in these cash strapped times. I also thought it was a lovely comment from Sean Pockett. It genuinely sounds as if the team involved with this project took a great deal of pride in it. Well done to all involved! Quote
John Harrington Posted September 29, 2014 Report Posted September 29, 2014 I know it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things but I am a little intrigued by Hereford scooping Gold in the Royal Horticultural Society's Britain in Bloom comp. 1. There are quite a few categories allowing lots of different cities and towns and villages to win Gold. 2. Old Trev Swindells's comments were from a letter to the HT back in July: Trevor Swindells, chairman of Hereford in Bloom, added: “I cannot praise the workforce of Balfour Beatty enough. They did a great job to ensure the judging went well.†Trevor Swindells didn't add anything, his letter pre-dates Hereford's Gold winning announcement . http://www.herefordtimes.com/news/letters/11379198.Letter_from_Trevor_Swindells__Chairman_of_Hereford_in_Bloom__says_we_can_all_do_our_bit_when_it_comes_to_litter_/ 3. I can't find any reference on the RHS's website (or in regional or national news) to suggest Hereford won Gold (in what I presume would be the small city category). RHS Britain in Bloom UK Finalists 2014 Entry Name Category Region / Nation Aberdeen City Scotland Ahoghill Champion of Champions Ulster Bath Small City South West Belper Large Town East Midlands Bracknell Small City Thames & Chilterns Bray Village (Conservation Area) Small Village Thames & Chilterns Bridgers Community Group (Leigh) Urban Community North West Bridgnorth Town Heart of England Carrickfergus Large Town Ulster Chorley Small City North West City of London Champion of Champions London Colwyn Bay Large Town Wales Congleton Large Town North West Cranbrook Small Town South East Crawley Small City South East Dalton with Newton Town Cumbria Derry City Small City Ulster Dufftown Large Village Scotland Dunnington Small Town Yorkshire Durham Large Town Northumbria Elswick Village North West Eston (Middlesborough) Urban Community Northumbria Evington (Leicester) Urban Community East Midlands Farnham Large Town South East Filby Village Anglia Filey Coastal Up to 12k Yorkshire Glenarm Village Ulster Glenrothes Champion of Champions Scotland Great Whittington Small Village Northumbria Halstead Town Anglia Harrogate Small City Yorkshire Henley on Thames Town Thames & Chilterns Hillingdon Large City London Am I going bonkers? It is quite possible. Cllr Rone may know better. Perhaps he could jump down off his mower (if Richard Ball and Geoff Hughes allow him to) and point me in the right direction. Perversely I have loved the unkempt verges with the abundance of Cow Parsley and wildflower but I do appreciate it has caused problems to an awful lot of people (several friends refused to ride their horses on the roads this years because of the risk caused by lack of visibility). I am out in the mist and drizzle as I text, furiously digging in my display for next year. Gold by Spandau Ballet is blaring out from my sitting room, across my lawn towards me. I think of Daley Thompson (the BBC used the track to accompany a montage of him in action montage in the 80s) and am spurred onto wider, more grandiose design and digging, despite wanting to get in and free view It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia on a dodgy internet link. I want Trevor Swindells to praise me in print. Most of all I want to be Daley Thompson, LA, 1984. If I dream it does it matter if it's not real? No it doesn't matter, says the press officer at HC, I know exactly where you are coming from dearheart. Quote
dippyhippy Posted September 29, 2014 Report Posted September 29, 2014 Ooooh John! The mystery! The intrigue! The suspense! What is going on???????? (By the way - I met Daley Thompson, in 1986, very nice chap!) Quote
John Harrington Posted September 29, 2014 Report Posted September 29, 2014 They must have won it but I can't blinkin find the reference to it! And dippy I agree and add my congratulations to Mr Swindells and all the Balfour Beatty ground troops for their hard graft. Quote
dippyhippy Posted September 29, 2014 Report Posted September 29, 2014 By the way John........Always believe in your soul - you've got the power to know - you're indestructible!! Wise words there from Tony, I have always thought! Quote
dippyhippy Posted September 29, 2014 Report Posted September 29, 2014 Thanks for that, John! Now I have an image of Our Leader in a frilly shirt and wearing more eye liner than is decent! I shan't sleep a wink with that vision whizzing around in my head! Quote
John Harrington Posted September 29, 2014 Report Posted September 29, 2014 I have the same vision but he's slurring it out loud in a 'tired and emotional' state at the Marches LEP annual dinner and drinkies Backhanders Ball with the three Bs house builders on their feet cheering and bellowing like posh boys from the edge of the dancefloor. Can't believe you met Daley! Very jealous. In the para-phrased words of our esteemed Cllr Chappell, 'I'm off to bed before me temper makes me look like a deluded pratt'. Night dipster. Quote
Denise Lloyd Posted September 29, 2014 Report Posted September 29, 2014 http://www.heartofenglandinbloom.co.uk/user_uploads/files/2014%20Bloom%20Results.pdf Quote
dippyhippy Posted September 29, 2014 Report Posted September 29, 2014 Blimey Denise! That was quick! Quote
John Harrington Posted September 29, 2014 Report Posted September 29, 2014 Cheers Denise! I apologise to the Council's press officer for casting aspersions on their character. Quote
John Harrington Posted September 29, 2014 Report Posted September 29, 2014 Good Gawd! Burton, Newcastle Under Lyme, Redditch, Stourbridge, Shrewsbury and Tamworth all seem to have won Gold too (Small City Under 35k, Terms and Conditions apply). We're all winners! "A Merry Christmas to us all; God bless us, every one!" Quote
John Harrington Posted September 29, 2014 Report Posted September 29, 2014 I presume it's too late to not be looking like a prat but I am switching my notifications off and getting to sleep. And I am genuinely not knocking the hard work Hereford in Bloom put in. Quote
twowheelsgood Posted September 30, 2014 Report Posted September 30, 2014 There were also 9 community groups within Hereford that won various level prizes - http://www.heartofenglandinbloom.co.uk/user_uploads/files/HEIB%20IYN%20Results.pdf Quote
Roger Posted June 19, 2015 Report Posted June 19, 2015 The Council seem to be doing more grass cutting in high profile areas in 2015 (Victoria St an example) in order to do well in this sort of competition. I was down Yazor Road yesterday as well and that large field was freshly mowed and the cuttings appeared to have been collected. Meanwhile Churchill Gardens is looking pretty rough. Totally overgrown. Quote
dippyhippy Posted June 20, 2015 Report Posted June 20, 2015 I'll have a wander up The Ash Path later..... much used, but out of sight! Quote
ragwert Posted June 20, 2015 Author Report Posted June 20, 2015 I'll have a wander up The Ash Path later..... much used, but out of sight! Don't ,the path as of when I went down it last week is terrible,overgrown with brambles Quote
ragwert Posted June 20, 2015 Author Report Posted June 20, 2015 We are all winners lol Bit like hook the duck at the fair but easier Quote
dippyhippy Posted June 20, 2015 Report Posted June 20, 2015 Too late, Ragwert. I ventured out earlier with the dog. Not a pretty sight. Quote
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