The flower factor
From Councillor Mrs Diana Holl-Allen, Cabinet Member for Safer Communities on 15 July 2011
The Heart of England in Bloom competition judges are on their way to Solihull to see if it has the flower factor.
The regional judges will tour the Borough which has been busy gearing up for its 16th successive year of taking part in the annual horticultural contest.
The whole community has been encouraged to take part and support the competition entry, by tending to their gardens, becoming involved in conservation projects and identifying areas which need improvements for a variety of reasons including litter, weeds or graffiti.
The judges will be taken on a pre planned route around the Borough on Friday 22 July to view a number of different entries for this year’s competition.
Stops along the route include Castle Bromwich village green after the Parish Council, Neighbourhood Co-ordinators and the Youth Council joined forces to tidy up the space and create a peace garden. There will be a meet and greet of the park ranger teams at Malvern and Brueton Parks where there will be a chance to see the carpet bed and bee keepers at work, then on to Widney Manor Station where a group from the Soroptimist International Solihull & District women’s club maintain the plants on the platform. The tour will finish at Blythe Valley Business Park Nature Reserve.
The tour should last about three and a half hours and highlights just a small part of the community involvement that takes place.
The Borough is aiming for a gold award again, after achieving it in the regional competition last year as well as a silver gilt award in the national competition.
Councillor Mrs Diana Holl-Allen, Cabinet Member for Safer Communities said: “This is a very exciting opportunity for the borough to get recognised for its great and creative horticulture and to see how the community comes together to spruce up the local environment. It’s also great to see all of the different types of flowers, plants and hanging baskets that are decorating the area. I think we are in with a good chance of winning and I wish everyone taking part the very best of luck.”
The results for this year’s regional Heart of England in Bloom competition will be announced in September.
To get involved in Solihull’s bloom entry visit www.solihull.gov.uk/solihullinbloom or contact Solihull in Bloom’s project officer on 0121 704 6546.
To find out how other villages and towns around the country get involved visit www.rhs.org.uk/britaininbloom. To enter a local street or community into the competition visit www.heartofenglandinbloom.co.uk.
For media enquiries only please contact Irene Aserie on 0121 704 8373
Email: irene.aserie@solihull.gov.uk