14 Days and 14 Judges, 77 Finalists and 1 Champion of Champions

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1 PRESS RELEASE 26 July Days and 14 Judges, 77 Finalists and 1 Champion of Champions RHS Britain in Bloom 2013 UK Finals Judging Tour (29 July 9 August) Lytham (Lancashire) going for Champion of Champions 2013 Starting on Monday (29 July)*, seven pairs of Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) judges will begin a two-week tour of the UK assessing an estimated 90,000 acres of public green space in 77 locations that have made it to the national finals of RHS Britain in Bloom Europe s biggest community gardening campaign. Over the following fortnight, the RHS Britain in Bloom judging panel of expert horticulturists will crisscross the whole of Great Britain to visit villages, towns and cities that were picked from nearly 1,000 to represent their region or nation in the UK finals. North Berwick (Scotland), Stanghow (Yorkshire), Lytham (Lancashire), Halstead (Essex) and Herm (Channel Islands) are competing for the title of Champion of Champions, the ultimate RHS Britain in Bloom award. More than 20,000 volunteers have invested 100,000 hours to earn a place in the finals by brightening up streets with floral displays, litter-picking and street-tidying, creating wildflower

2 meadows to help local wildlife, transforming derelict land in to community havens, growing produce, and so much more. In fact, Bournemouth bloomers have created the town s first edible flower bed for local residents and visitors to enjoy. Roger Burnett, Chair of the RHS Britain in Bloom judging panel, said: Many see RHS Britain in Bloom as a floral competition but spectacular hanging baskets make up only a very small part of the campaign. We ll be looking at how the finalists have used public green spaces for the benefit of the whole community, and the environment. I am particularly looking forward to seeing how finalists are innovating to meet current needs to reduce inputs, both economically and environmentally, and how they are encouraging wildlife in their green spaces. I m sure we ll all need a good rest after the tour, but meeting passionate people and seeing the extraordinary work they ve done will make the entire trip a delight. Good luck to all the 2013 finalists. Britain in Bloom started in 1964 as a way of marketing the country through floral displays. It is now a national campaign with a strong focus on environmentally responsible practices, and bringing people together. In fact, more than half of finalists cite the biggest benefit of being involved in RHS Britain in Bloom as bringing the community together. 42% say increased civic pride is the most notable impact and 31% said it is having cleaner and greener surroundings. Other benefits include improved local economies, better profile of area and a reduction in crime and antisocial behaviour. Each finalist will be judged on the basis of community participation, environmental responsibility and horticultural achievement** and will be awarded a Gold, Silver-Gilt, Silver or Bronze medal. There is also an award for best in category, as well as special discretionary awards given for achieving excellence in particular fields. The results will be announced at a prestigious awards ceremony on 12 October, in Cleethorpes. Judging will begin on Monday 29 July in Bournemouth, Caistor, Henley-on-Thames, North Berwick, St Brelade, St Issey and Tunbridge Wells. - Ends - For more information, images or finalist contact details, please contact Ed Horne, on / edhorne@rhs.org.uk. Notes to the Editor: *Bracknell, Falmouth and Wisbech are being judged before the official start of the tour (29 July). Entry Name Category Region / Nation Judging date Bracknell Small City Thurs 25 July Falmouth Coastal (over 12,000) South West Fri 26 July Wisbech Large Town Anglia Sun 28 July Bournemouth Coastal (over 12,000) Southern Mon 29 July Caistor Large Village East Midlands Mon 29 July Henley on Thames Town Mon 29 July North Berwick Champion of Champions Scotland Mon 29 July St Brelade Coastal (up to 12,000) Jersey Mon 29 July

3 Tunbridge Wells Large Town South East Mon 29 July St Issey Village South West Mon 29 July Bath Small City South West Tues 30 July Bristol Large City South West Tues 30 July City of London Town London Tues 30 July Dartmouth Coastal (up to 12,000) South West Tues 30 July Market Harborough Large Town East Midlands Tues 30 July Stanghow Champion of Champions Northumbria Tues 30 July Norwich City Anglia Tues 30 July Alton Large Town Southern Weds 31 July Barwick-in-Elmet Large Village Yorkshire Weds 31 July Clifton (Bristol) Urban Community South West Weds 31 July Colchester Small City Anglia Weds 31 July Lytham Champion of Champions North West Weds 31 July Newquay Town South West Weds 31 July Pembridge Village Heart of England Weds 31 July Aldridge (Walsall) Urban Community Heart of England Thurs 1 August Barton in Fabis Small Village East Midlands Thurs 1 August Biddulph Large Town Heart of England Thurs 1 August Cartmel Village Cumbria Thurs 1 August Great Yarmouth Coastal (over 12,000) Anglia Thurs 1 August Halstead Champion of Champions Anglia Thurs 1 August Oakham Town East Midlands Thurs 1 August Stockton-on-Tees City Northumbria Thurs 1 August The Meadows (Nottingham) Urban Community East Midlands Thurs 1 August Colwyn Bay Large Town Wales Fri 2 August Coupar Angus Large Village Scotland Fri 2 August Freckleton Town North West Fri 2 August Garstang Small Town North West Fri 2 August Herm Champion of Champions Guernsey Fri 2 August London Borough of Hillingdon Large City London Fri 2 August Prestatyn Coastal (over 12,000) Wales Fri 2 August Mancroft, The Lanes (Norwich) Urban Community Anglia Fri 2 August Bolnore Village - Haywards Heath Urban Community South East Mon 5 August Colne Large Town North West Mon 5 August Filby Village Anglia Mon 5 August Garforth Town Yorkshire Mon 5 August Hunmanby Small Town Yorkshire Mon 5 August London Bridge (Southwark) Urban Community London Mon 5 August St Pierre du Bois Large Village Guernsey Mon 5 August Shrewsbury Small City Heart of England Mon 5 August Aberdour Village Coastal (up to 12,000) Scotland Tues 6 August Cleethorpes Coastal (over 12,000) East Midlands Tues 6 August Elswick Village North West Tues 6 August Glenrothes Large Town Scotland Tues 6 August Grimsby Small City East Midlands Tues 6 August

4 Morpeth Town Northumbria Tues 6 August Sedgefield Small Town Northumbria Tues 6 August Uddingston (Glasgow) Urban Community Scotland Tues 6 August Usk Large Village Wales Tues 6 August Watlington Large Village Tues 6 August Blairgowrie & Rattray Town Scotland Weds 7 August Bury Small City North West Weds 7 August Edinburgh Large City Scotland Weds 7 August Eston (Middlesbrough) Urban Community Northumbria Weds 7 August London Borough of Richmond City London Weds 7 August Ripon Large Town Yorkshire Weds 7 August Ahoghill Small Town Ulster Thurs 8 August Eynsford Large Village South East Thurs 8 August Moorsholm Village Northumbria Thurs 8 August Scarva Small Village Ulster Thurs 8 August Starbeck (Harrogate) Urban Community Yorkshire Thurs 8 August Derry City Small City Ulster Thurs 8 August Hillsborough Large Village Ulster Fri 9 August Luddenden Village Yorkshire Fri 9 August St Helier Large Town Jersey Fri 9 August Windermere Town Cumbria Fri 9 August Bangor Coastal (over 12,000) Ulster Fri 9 August Woolton (Liverpool) Urban Community North West Fri 9 August **RHS Britain in Bloom Judging: Taking into consideration three key criteria horticultural achievement, community participation and environmental responsibility RHS judges will assess public spaces such as parks, city or town centres and communal gardens as well as natural spaces including wildflower meadows and conservation areas. They score finalists on a comprehensive range of factors from recycling and waste management or condition of street furniture, to how much young people are aware of, and engaged with, Britain in Bloom initiatives. About RHS Britain in Bloom RHS Britain in Bloom is the UK s largest community gardening campaign, involving more than 300,000 people. As part of RHS Britain in Bloom and its sister campaign, RHS It s Your Neighbourhood volunteers in cities, towns, villages, urban communities and neighbourhoods work together to improve their local environment, using gardening as a tool. To find out more, visit: Get Involved Map The online map enables volunteers to find and contact their local community gardening groups and schools registered with the RHS Campaign for School Gardening. There are thousands of opportunities to get involved with community gardening groups and schools around the UK. To search through more than 1,000 in Bloom groups, 1,100 It's Your Neighbourhood groups, 16,000 schools and 1,235 affiliated clubs and societies, visit: About the RHS The Royal Horticultural Society was founded in 1804 by Sir Joseph Banks and John Wedgwood for the encouragement and improvement of the science, art and practice of horticulture. We held our first flower shows in 1820, were granted a Royal Charter in 1861 and acquired RHS Garden Wisley, the

5 first of our gardens, in From our first meetings in a small room off London s Piccadilly, we have grown to become the world s largest gardening charity. Today the RHS is committed to providing a voice for all gardeners. We are driven by a simple love of plants and a belief that gardeners make the world a better place. 209 years on we continue to safeguard and advance the science, art and practice of horticulture, creating displays that inspire people to garden. In all aspects of our work we help gardeners develop by sharing our knowledge of plants, gardens and the environment. RHS membership is for anyone with an interest in gardening. Support the RHS and secure a healthy future for gardening. For more information call: , or visit RHS Registered Charity No /SC038262