Farnham celebrated in style and looked back on a fantastic year for Farnham in Bloom at the Farnham in Bloom Community Awards. As part of the evening, winners of six of the most coveted local gardening awards were also announced.
Farnham Town Council organises the awards which were held at Squire’s Garden Centre on 10 October. As well as an opportunity to thank the hundreds of people involved in the town’s entries to the South and South East in Bloom and Britain in Bloom competitions, the winners of the Farnham In Bloom Community Awards received their prizes. The evening was also a rare opportunity for the many gardeners, volunteers, community organisations and businesses involved in the different aspects of Farnham in Bloom to come together, share stories and reflect on the year’s activities.
“It’s been a truly fantastic year, with double Gold and double Best in Category awards from South and South East in Bloom,” says the Mayor of Farnham, Councillor Pat Evans who led the celebrations. “It goes without saying that there is extensive planning and a considerable amount of hard work by many, many people. Literally thousands of hours of work goes into Farnham in Bloom each year. It’s that support from our wonderful local people – whether that’s litter picking, providing sponsorship, arts projects, planting or organising – that makes Farnham in Bloom the astounding success that it is, so I thank you all.”
Among the Farnham In Bloom awards received from South and South East in Bloom this year are golds in the large town, town centre, small parks (for Victoria Gardens) and large conservation area (Bishop’s Meadow) categories. Victoria Garden and space2grow won outstanding and Victoria Garden also won the highly coveted Chairman’s Award.
The Community Awards ceremony saw over 20 local gardeners and allotment holders receive prizes for every aspect of gardening, from growing vegetables, container gardening, large and small gardens, to conservation and gardens in business and office premises.
The winner of the Gardener of the Year was space2grow, one of six special awards that were announced on the night. Eric and Janet Harrison won Bloomin’ Litter Volunteers of the Year, the Bloomin’ Friends won the Mayor’s Special Award and the Madge Green Community Gardening Award was presented to the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice Garden Volunteers.
Ahead of the evening’s festivities, the Farnham in Bloom Schools’ Awards took place in the afternoon. More than a dozen local schools and nurseries were commended for achievements such as stunning container planting (the Flower in a Boot award and hanging baskets) and highly creative scarecrows.
Numerous local businesses and organisations, led by principal sponsor The Farnham Institute Charity, provided sponsorship and sponsorship in kind for this year’s competition. Squire’s Garden Centre, Graduate Landscapes, Forest Lodge Garden Centre and the Patio Black Spot Removal Company Ltd were gold sponsors. This year’s silver sponsors were BBS for Magimix, Bourne Wood Manor, Glendale, Wildflower Turf and Net Technical Solutions.
