Tiverton in Bloom has once more achieved the coveted Gold Award in the Portman Cup category of the South West in Bloom competition for 2021. The committee are thrilled to receive this award and are now looking forward to Tiverton in Bloom 2022.
Tiverton in Bloom 2021
Saw a new enthusiasm for all things green and floral. The value of our green spaces became ever more important following the Covid-19 lock-downs. The council had an excellent take up among the town traders for the sponsorship of a hanging basket to adorn their premises. The result was a vibrant and colourful town centre, just what was needed to bring much welcome cheer, with tropical hot pinks and flame red tones adorning the baskets. The town council launched its local garden competition and were delighted to once again be able to attend in person to judge the entries. The standard of entries were incredibly high and judging proved tough. The winners and runner-ups will be announced at the awards evening to be held at the Tiverton Town Hall on Friday 15th October 2021.
Tiverton in bloom 2020
Sadly, 2020 has been a very unexpected year, with all usual In Bloom activities suspended due to the Covid-19 restrictions and nationwide lockdown; Tiverton Town Council and the In Bloom Committee wanted to keep the spirit of ‘In Bloom’ alive and bring some joy to the town. It was decided to reach out to the community by way of a Facebook virtual garden competition, to showcase the wonderful gardens of the people of Tiverton. Much more time has been spent in our gardens this year, more than ever before and we received over 50 entries. The competition was open to a range of garden spaces, there were no rules, only that the garden was in Tiverton. There were a vast array of beautiful gardens, allotments and courtyards entered and it was wonderful to see something so positive coming out of more time being spent in our homes this year. The winners received national garden gift vouchers and a certificate from the Mayor.
Tiverton in Bloom 2019
The Tiverton in Bloom committee once again opted for a tropical colour scheme for the town’s floral displays and were rewarded with a gold award from South West in Bloom.
This year saw Blundells School take part for the first time and achieve outstanding in the “In your Neighbourhood category of South West in Bloom for their school garden and for their work at the Hospice vegetable garden at Pine Lodge. The coordinator Mr Charlie Olive of Blundells was thrilled to achieve the award for the school and was proud of the pupils efforts particularly at Pine Lodge, where the aim was to provide fresh vegetables for the centre’s patients and visitors.
The volunteer garden group “Tivvy Trowel Blazers” worked throughout the year on the old rockery at the People’s Park to create a bee friendly haven. Plants were specifically chosen to attract and support the native bees of the UK. The group also were fortunate enough to secure funding for an information board illustrating the different types of native bees, this has now been installed at the rockery.
Plans are in place to complete the remainder of the rockery in 2020 and to plant more bee friendly plants.
Tiverton in Bloom 2018
Work has begun on Tiverton’s in Bloom entry for 2018, this year will see a return of the hot tropical pink and burnt orange colour scheme that proved so popular back in 2016 which incidentally helped secure a gold for the town from South West in Bloom.
With ever increasing pressures on budget purse strings, the committee have had to plan carefully in order to maintain the town’s colourful displays by reducing the number of baskets in lesser used public areas to ensure maximum cover for prime public sites.
The committee recognise that the focus of Britain in Bloom has shifted substantially since its beginnings with a stronger emphasis now on fostering community relationships through the medium of all things horticultural.
With this in mind, there is now a new fledging project taking shape in the form of the “Tivvy Trowel Blazers” this will be a Friends of the Parks/Community Garden group who will undertake neglected areas of the town by working closely with Mid Devon District Council to improve and enhance for the benefit of all.
The plan is to ensure that the areas are low maintenance, environmentally sensitive and promote wildlife. Devon Wildlife Trust and the Devon Gardens Trust have both been consulted and have offered assistance in this project.
Tiverton in Bloom will once again host its annual garden competition which has proved very popular with the town’s keen gardeners. This year there will be a special schools entry recognising the 100th anniversary of the women’s right to vote. The committee very much look forward to seeing how this might be interpreted in their entries.