THE TOWN’S green spaces have picked up a number of awards as Royal Tunbridge Wells (RTW) in Bloom takes a slew of top prizes in a recent regional horticultural competition.
RTW in Bloom was crowned the winner of the ‘Small City’ category and achieved the gold standard in a number of categories at the South and South East in Bloom (SSEIB) competition, held on September 29.
The RTW in Bloom team, which is supported by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, beat the likes of Shaftesbury and Upton to win the Community Engagement category, along with winning other multiple gold medal awards.
Grosvenor and Hilbert Park and Calverley Grounds received SSEIB gold awards while Dunorlan Park was the overall winner in the Large Parks Above 25 Acres category.
There were also gold medals for Woodbury Park Cemetery in the Churchyards group and Tunbridge Wells Common in the Commons and Open Spaces category.
RTW in Bloom organiser Katharina Mahler-Bech told the Times: “Since the launch of Royal Tunbridge Wells in Bloom in 2010, the Bloom Team have been annually successful in the South and South East in Bloom competition – and again this year!
“We are now looking forward to the awards ceremony of Britain in Bloom at the end of October.”
RTW in Bloom now has its sights set on The Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) Britain in Bloom 2023 national competition. There are 44 finalists competing in 10 categories and RTW in Bloom is competing in the Small City category.
Councillor Wendy Fitzsimmons (Lib Dem) said: “To make the national finals is quite an achievement, and just reward for the hard work of the volunteers who work tirelessly around the town and in our parks and open spaces.”
RTW in Bloom has reached the national finals on three previous occasions, in 2012 achieving a silver medal, a further silver medal in 2018 and a gold medal in 2019.
The RHS Britain in Bloom winner will be announced on Monday October 23.
