Britain in Bloom is a horticultural competition in the United Kingdom; organised by the Royal Horticultural Society, and currently sponsored by B&Q.
It is entered by settlements; the winner is the settlement judged to have beautified itself best with the use of flowers and plants. Different categories exist for various sizes of settlements, and finalists are selected from the winners of regional competitions. The first stage is judged in around June/July; the second stage in August. The winners are announced in about September/October.
The first Britain in Bloom was held in 1963.
The competition does not just cover the UK proper; but also the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. In 2002 the small Channel Island of Herm won the prize in the 'Small Coastal Resort' category.
Winners
2003
- Large City: Nottingham
- City: Cheltenham
- Large Town: Harrogate
- Town: Barnstaple
- Small Town: Ledbury
- Small Country Town: Pitlochry
- Large Village: Darley
- Village: Drumnadrochit
- Urban Community: The Mumbles
- Small Coastal Resort: Filey
- Large Coastal Resort: Eastbourne
2002
- Large City: Bournemouth
- City: Oxford
- Large Town: Perth
- Town: Bridgnorth
- Small Town: Alness
- Small Country Town: Garstang
- Large Village: Broughshane
- Village: Filby
- Urban Community: Brackley
- Small Coastal Resort: Herm
- Large Coastal Report: Southport
Regions
The regions of the UK and possessions used in the competition are (with reference to ceremonial counties and government office regions)
- Anglia (East of England region)
- Cumbria
- East Midlands (as region)
- Heart of England (Gloucestershire less South Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire)
- Isle of Man
- Guernsey
- Jersey
- London
- Northumbria (as North East England)
- North West England (as region, less Cumbria)
- Scotland
- South East England (East Sussex, Kent, West Sussex, Surrey)
- South West England (Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, western Dorset, Somerset, South Gloucestershire, most of Wiltshire)
- Southern England (eastern Dorset, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, southern Wiltshire)
- Thames and Chilterns (Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire)
- Ulster (Northern Ireland)
- Yorkshire
- Wales
External link