Blooming glorious Chesterfield
Chesterfield gardeners are celebrating their blooming wonderful results as the Chesterfield in Bloom awards are held.
The annual awards, hosted by Chesterfield Borough Council at Ringwood Hall Hotel, which is the competition’s main sponsor, recognise the best gardens and the most green-fingered residents, schoolchildren and business owners in the borough.
Taking the top prize for the best overall garden were Barry and Maureen Lomas. The judges praised their front and back garden massed with hanging baskets, containers of all shapes and sizes and bedding plantings, all maintained to the highest standard.
Other category winners at the awards were:
- Best container garden or hanging basket: Stephen and Margaret Wright
- Best small allotment plot: Mick Charlesworth
- Best large allotment plot: Colin Bloom
- Best small allotment site: Rufford Close Allotment Association
- Best large allotment site: Hunloke Avenue Allotment Association
- Best pub or restaurant The Britannia Inn
- Most improved gardens: The Green Care Home – Alicia Armstrong and Frank Walsh – Inkersall Allotments
- Best back garden (less than 80m2): Barry and Maureen Lomas
- Best back garden (larger than 80m2): Christine and Julia Stubbs
- Best front garden: Jane Land
The schools competition saw the following winners:
- Painting competition (reception to year 2): Isla Burns – Henry Bradley Infant School
- Painting competition (year 3 to year 6): May Husband – Brockwell Junior School
The following schools also received awards in the competition: Ashgate Croft School Brimington Junior School, Calow CofE Primary School, Duckmanton Primary School, Hasland Infant School, Speedwell Infant School and Spire Infant School.
Councillor Chris Ludlow, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “Every year the standard of entries into the Chesterfield in Bloom competition gets higher and higher making the judges’ decisions more and more difficult.
“Congratulations to all of the winners and to everyone who took the time to enter. Their efforts to help keep Chesterfield vibrant and green are very much appreciated.”
This comes as Chesterfield has received a prestigious gold award in the East Midlands in Bloom awards for the second year running.
Judges from the East Midlands in Bloom committee visited the borough in the summer to assess the borough’s entry in the competition.
The judges were impressed with the levels of community involvement – particularly the members of the Chesterfield in Bloom committee as well as the flower displays in the town centre and the enthusiasm of the children from Spire Infant School.
They gave a special award for the sensitive management and conservation of Holmebrook Valley Park and a gold award to Ringwood Hall Hotel for the best hotel/pub garden in the East Midlands.
Councillor Ludlow added: “It’s wonderful news that we have received a gold award in the East Midlands in Bloom competition for the second year running.
“This is thanks to the efforts of all our staff and volunteers who keep Chesterfield looking its best year round.”
