Shrewsbury Town Council and Shrewsbury in Bloom are making final preparations to welcome prestigious judges as part of this summer’s regional and national floral competitions.
The town will first be assessed on Tuesday 22nd July by judges from the Heart of England in Bloom campaign. This visit forms part of the regional competition and marks an important opportunity for Shrewsbury to showcase its renowned horticultural excellence.
Then, on Thursday 31st July, Shrewsbury will compete in the Britain in Bloom UK Finals in the Small City & City category, going head-to-head with some of the top floral destinations in the country. These include Harrogate (Yorkshire in Bloom), Royal Tunbridge Wells (South & South East in Bloom), Aberdeen Communities Together (Keep Scotland Beautiful), Chorley in Bloom (North West in Bloom), Derry (Ulster in Bloom), the London Borough of Tower Hamlets (London in Bloom), and Torquay in Bloom (South West in Bloom). All towns and cities will be judged by the same two judges over the course of a week.
As part of their visit, the judges will be taken on a tour of key locations across the town that represent the breadth and impact of Shrewsbury’s horticultural and community projects. These include Love2Stay Touring & Glamping Resort, Weeping Cross Nursery, The Dingle (the iconic parkland famously designed by Percy Thrower) and the floral carpet bed at Shrewsbury Castle, to name just a few.
A Tribute to History and Horticulture
At Shrewsbury Castle, horticulturalists Andy Jenks and Karl Jarvis have created a striking floral carpet bed to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day. The intricate design, brought to life with over 10,000 plug plants, was prepared at Weeping Cross Nursery, which took a week of dedicated work to complete.
The Dingle: Summer in Full Bloom
In the heart of the town’s Quarry Park, Mark Bowen and Amy Jones have led the planting of the seasonal carpet beds in The Dingle. Each year, over 30,000 plants are carefully placed within this showpiece garden, contributing to the wider 300,000 plants that brighten Shrewsbury’s parks, open spaces, and gateways.
Youth Involvement Blossoms
Earlier this year, the Shrewsbury Youth Council launched a Britain in Bloom-linked competition inviting local students aged 4 to 11 to design a floral planter using a 5x5 grid template. The competition was circulated to schools across the town, resulting in over 200 entries from a range of Shrewsbury schools. From these, six winning designs were selected across various age categories and brought to life as vibrant 5ft x 5ft planters. These eye-catching displays can now be seen in The Square andoutside the Old Market Hall, offering a wonderful example of youth engagement and creativity in the town’s floral celebrations.
Floral Displays Across the Town and County
Shrewsbury Town Council has installed over 200 hanging baskets throughout the town centre to add colour to business shopfronts. These vibrant displays are a favourite amongst residents and visitors alike. To ensure these stunning displays remain in top condition throughout the summer, Shrewsbury Town Council maintains a dedicated team responsible for watering all floral features on a regular basis. This includes the hanging baskets, planters, and floral installations in key locations. With the recent spell of warm weather, keeping plants sufficiently watered has presented a challenge, but the team is working diligently to ensure everything continues to thrive.
The larger tree planters, which appear throughout the town centre, may appear dry on the surface, but residents and visitors can be assured that they are being properly maintained and are receiving sufficient water at root level thanks to the reservoir design on the container with a constant feed and the team’s expert care and attention.
Beyond Shrewsbury, the Council supports neighbouring communities with summer planting services. Whitchurch, Wem, and Bayston Hill Parish Councils are amongstthose who have enlisted the expertise of the Town Council team, with all plant material grown at Weeping Cross Nursery—a site roughly the size of a football pitch.
