STRATFORD has truly bloomed this year.
A successful year which has brought plenty of colour to the town, for residents, businesses and visitors alike, was celebrated at Stratford-upon-Avon in Bloom’s recent presentation evening.
A record audience of 250 packed Stratford ArstHouse for the hand out of the much-coveted awards, and judging was not made easy in a hard-fought local competition with entries from residents, businesses, schools and community groups.
A Stratford-upon-Avon in Bloom spokesperson said: “It was very encouraging, this year, to see winning entries from residents and businesses that have not been in the running before, such as The Windmill Inn (winner of the Public Houses category) and CA Rookes Wine Merchants who took top spot for the Businesses & Shops award.
“The Front Garden category is probably the most hotly contested of all, and many people will not realise the judges visit every single front garden in each of the nine electoral wards in pursuit of the very best displays worthy of the top places! Although a huge feat, this does result in finding some beautiful, stunning gardens, which makes the final allocation of awards so very difficult.
“To make things fairer this year, the Front Garden category was divided into two awards – ‘Traditional Front Garden’ and ‘Small Border & Containers’. This allowed smaller front gardens with a few pots or hanging baskets to have a chance of success alongside the larger front gardens. The Traditional Front Garden winner, for the second year running, was Roma and Keith Foster, of Trevelyan Crescent and first place in the Small Border & Containers category went to Patricia Ayres of Trevelyan Crescent. Recognition was also made of the top three place winners in each of the electoral wards.
“The final award of the evening was the Chairman’s Trophy. This is awarded each year in recognition of special gardening achievement. The recipient this year was Stratford Railway Station in conjunction with London Midland and Avon Support. The station has undergone a major floral transformation with an array of fabulous hanging baskets and stunningly colourful, planted containers. These are all enthusiastically maintained by the members of Avon Support Ltd, which offers social care support to people with a learning or physical disability. The station is a lovely sight for the many people who use it regularly and a beautiful welcome to those visiting the town by rail.”
The evening also saw a talk by artist, naturalist and photographer Steve Falk about the importance of the many pollinating insects in the garden and how easy it was to create the right environment to attract them.
Organisers also thanked supporters including Blenheim Nursery, which donated gift vouchers for all of the prizewinners, and individual award sponsors Hitchman Stone Architects, The Rosconn Group, Johnsons Coaches and Murphy Salisbury.
For further information about the Stratford-upon-Avon in Bloom local competition is available by visiting www.stratfordinbloom.org.uk, emailing [email protected], or calling Stephanie Lester on 07764 588501.
Stratford-upon-Avon in Bloom 2017 results:
Nursery Schools: 1st – Footsteps Nursey 2nd – Caring Kindergartens 3rd – Freshfields Nursery HC – Polkadot Nursery
Primary Schools: 1st – Stratford Primary School 2nd – Alveston C of E Primary School
Community Awards: 1st – Guild Cottages 2nd – St Joseph Homestead Trust 3rd – Avon Meadow Residents Highly Commended – Escape Arts
Allotments:1st – Alveston & Tiddington Allotments & Gardens Association 2nd – Shottery Allotments (Town Trust)
B&Bs & Guest Houses: 1st – Woodstock Guest House 2nd – Ambleside Guest House 3rd – Stretton House Guest House Highly Commended – Milmar Guest House
Businesses & Shops: 1st – C A Rookes 2nd – H L Barnes 3rd – A E Bennetts & Sons HC – Cordelia
Hotels: 1st – The Arden Hotel 2nd – The Limes 3rd – The Shakespeare Hotel Highly Commended – The White Swan
Restaurants & Coffee Shops: 1st – Hobson’s Patisseries 2nd – Sorrento 3rd – Costa Coffee
Public Houses: 1st – The Windmill Inn 2nd – The Old Tramway Inn 3rd – Keys & Kitchen
Shopping Precincts: 1st – Red Lion Court 2nd – Shrieves Walk
Bee Friendly: 1st – St Joseph’s Homestead Trust 2nd – Methodist Church
Rear Gardens: 1st – Ken & Linda Wheeler 2nd – Jill Jones 3rd – Margaret Street
Chairman’s Trophy: Stratford Railway Station in conjunction with London Midland & Avon Support
Traditional Front Graden – Overall Winners: 1st – Roma and Keith Foster (Bishopton Ward) 2nd – Brian Lythall (Tiddington Ward) 3rd – Ian Matthews (Guildhall Ward) Highly Commended – Sylvia and Peter Ariss (Welcombe Ward)
Traditional Front Garden – Ward Winners:
Avenue Ward 1st Place – Josephine Pryor 2nd Place – Pauline and Brian Charman 3rd Place – Judith and Peter Brain
Bishopton Ward 1st Place – Roma and Keith Foster 2nd Place – Dawn Woodhouse 3rd Place – Alan Coldicott
Bridgetown Ward 1st Place – Steven Wright 2nd Place – Michael and Rachel Webster 3rd Place – Jennifer and Neville Fox
Clopton Ward 1st Place – John Wilkinson 2nd Place – Annette and Brian Ashfield Highly Commended – Clifford Dugmore
Guildhall Ward 1st Place – Ian Matthews 2nd Place – Joyce Wainwright 3rd Place – Ken and Mary Ryman
Hathaway Ward 1st Place – Joyce Johnson 2nd Place – Pierina Villano 3rd Place – Anne and David Challis
Shottery Ward 1st Place – Margaret Street 2nd Place – Hilary Mattocks 3rd Place – Barbara and Paul Whitford Highly Commended – Sandra Vale
Tiddington Ward 1st Place – Brian and Jean Lythal 2nd Place – Jo and Roger Stevens
Welcombe Ward 1st Place – Sylvia and Peter Ariss 2nd Place – Richard and Esther Grunow 3rd Place – Mary and Martin Kinoulty Highly Commended – Alison and Steve Parker
Small Border/Containers Front Garden – Overall Winners: 1st – Patricia Ayres (Bishopton Ward) 2nd – Lynne Rowlands (Bridgetown Ward) 3rd – Anne and John Rouse (Shottery Ward)
Small Border/Containers Front Garden – Ward Winners:
Avenue Ward 1st Place – Anne Bowes 2nd Place – Zofia Szupienko 3rd Place – Matthew and Lauren Gray
Bishopton Ward 1st Place – Patricia Ayres 2nd Place – Paul Watson
Bridgetown Ward 1st Place – Lynne Rowlands 2nd Place – Jackie Strangwood 3rd Place – Kenneth and Doreen Shirley
Clopton Ward 1st Place – Derek and Christine Hamilton 2nd Place – Catherine and Dan Hutchings 3rd Place – Margaret Cooke
Guildhall Ward 1st Place – Stanley and Elizabeth Horsley 2nd Place – Helen Nightingale 3rd Place – David and Sharon Charles
Hathaway Ward 1st Place – Peter Benstead 2nd Place – James McGuire 3rd Place – Helen and Nicolas Helliwell
Shottery Ward 1st Place – Anne and John Rouse 2nd Place – Michael Tomes and Janet Riley 3rd Place – Christopher and Winnifred Clarke
Tiddington Ward 1st Place – Lilian Boddington 2nd Place – Nicole South
Welcombe Ward 1st Place – David Cheadle 2nd Place – Maggie and Bruce Richards 3rd Place – Alwyn Annels
