Britain in Bloom 2019

Last year was our first time entering the RHS Britain in Bloom award scheme.  We were delighted to have achieved level 4 out of a possible 5, which described our Rose garden and Quarry as 'thriving'.
This year we are hoping to do even better.
On Tuesday the 23rd July, two RHS ( Royal Horticultural Society ) judges paid their second visit to the Arno.  The weather was particularly hot that whole week but it gave us a chance to show off the long border and all the projects we had been working on since their previous visit.  They were handed a folder, which our Membership Secretary Linda Atkinson had compiled. This contained photographs and details of all the events and work we had undertaken in the Arno as well as the Oxton fields.
 

Annette and John  with the RHS judges.

Our Chairperson Annette Capper talked them through the folder, which they could take away with them as a reminder of what they had seen.  John Booth was delighted to show them our progress on the Shed and explain how we intended to use it.  They seemed particularly pleased that we were collecting rainwater from the roof.  Our compost bins, leaf bins and newly built potting table showed how we are environmentally friendly in our approach to gardening.

The two Johns, hard at work.

The judges were also delighted by the Bug Hotel and sign, along with the nesting boxes which John Booth and John Hall had fixed into suitable trees around the perimeter of the Rose Garden. Finally, after a walk along the long border,  where we pointed out areas of new planting we had completed using funds raised from our Spring Plant sale, we said our goodbyes and escorted them back to their driver and car. 





All we need to do now is wait for the results. Fingers crossed for a higher score than last year!