Sidmouth aiming for national floral glory

Sidmouth is setting its sights on national glory after striking gold in the South West in Bloom contest.

The town landed the top prize in the ‘champion of champions’ category - and a place in the Britain in Bloom competition - as well as three discretionary awards.

Jon Wheatley, chairman of South West in Bloom, said Sidmouth continued to ‘maintain the highest standard of bloom excellence’. Peter Endersby, of Sidmouth in Bloom, said: “This is the gold we have been aiming for, to get Sidmouth a shot at gold at Britain in Bloom. My goal is to bring back gold at Britain in Bloom for Sidmouth.”

The town also won the Plantscape Coastal Trophy for best coastal entry, the Monk Trophy for best use of native plants indigenous to the area, and retained the Amberol Trophy for the best business display, which was presented to the Belmont Hotel.

Lynette Talbot, chairman of Sidmouth in Bloom, said: “The standard is difficult to maintain, which is why we need the support and the monetary support of local businesses, because we cannot do it without financial help.”

She thanked volunteers for their time and expertise, including Doctor John Twibell from Plant Heritage Devon.

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) also recognised six Sid Valley community projects as ‘outstanding’ in its It’s Your Neighbourhood scheme. These included the Chairman’s Garden, Friends of the Byes and the Valley of a Million Bulbs project.

The Witheby entrance garden, maintained by residents Sylvia Gibbard and Kay Marhsall, was also rated as ‘outstanding’.

The Sidbashers, entered into the scheme for the first time, were also awarded an ‘outstanding’ accolade by judges for its ‘out of the ordinary work’.

The Buzz Sidford Byes School Project and the Queen’s Jubilee Copse and Livonia Road Shrubbery all received a ‘thriving’ rating.

Sidmouth will be respectively visited by judges from both South West in Bloom and Britain in Bloom in July and August next year.