Harrogate in Bloom

​Just seven destinations from 78 finalists were invited by the national judges to enter this elite category which pits the very best in the country against each other.

​It is the third time Harrogate has been entered in Champion of Champions but it is the first time it has been awarded the much coveted gold medal.

Pam Grant said:  “In 2007 and 2010 we were awarded silver gilt so this year we were very much going for gold.  All seven finalists picked up gold awards and the judges told us there was nothing but a cat’s whisker between us.  We were pipped at the post of overall category winner which went to Elswick in Lancashire.  Gold is what we set out to bring back to Harrogate and we are immensely proud to have achieved that.  We were competing at the very highest level and a gold medal is a huge achievement.”

​As well as Harrogate in Bloom and Harrogate Borough Council, *Team Harrogate includes a further 15 local groups.

​Pam Grant added: “All Team Harrogate members do a fantastic job and this is testament to their hard work and continued commitment to the In Bloom campaign for the benefit of our town.  A lot of people dug really deep to support us and I want to thank everyone involved particularly all members of Team Harrogate.  I would also like to thank  Harrogate Mayor Cllr Anne Jones, the Harrogate Chamber of Commerce and our Business Buddies, Harrogate Flower Shows, Harrogate Business Market, Transdev, Studley Hotel and Old Swan Hotel, the Harrogate Advertiser, Stray FM, Radio York and Harrogate News.  And a final special thank you to Harrogate in Bloom’s new partner Harrogate Spring Water.   Big or small, all support was invaluable and helped us win this gold award.”

​The other six entrants were Aberdeen, Elswick, Hillsborough, Oldham, Portishead and St Peter Port (Guernsey)

​*Team Harrogate: Harrogate in Bloom,  Harrogate Borough Council, Pinewoods Conservation Group, Harrogate District Biodiversity Action Group, North of England Horticultural Society (Harrogate Flower Shows), Harrogate and District Allotment Federation, Friends of the Valley Gardens, Bilton Conservation Group, Harrogate Civic Society, Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, Horticap, Rossett Nature Reserve, Rossett School, Woodfield Millennium Green, Hookstone and Stonefall Action Group, Bachelor Field Friends' Group and Woodlands Community Group.

​Patrick Kilburn, Harrogate Council's Head of Parks and Environmental Services and Pam Grant, Chair of Team Harrogate collecting gold from host IoIo Williams, Welsh nature observer and TV presenter.

Throughout  the year Harrogate in Bloom organise a number of competitions to recognise endeavour and to encourage more people to garden, care for the environment or support a local community's activities.

​Pam Grant, President of Harrogate in Bloom, says this year was extra special.  She added: "We wanted to pull out all the stops because Harrogate is one of just seven towns in the country to be chosen to enter the elite category of Champion of Champions in the 2017 RHS Britain in Bloom awards.  Harrogate certainly rose to the challenge.

​"We were judged on 1 August and it was fantastic to be able to show  the judges the popularity of our competitions.  As part of the judging criteria we have to demonstrate how the community gets involved and how we encourage that across all age groups and sectors.

​"Last year our children's colouring and design a garden competition had 600 entries.  This year we had over 800 which was brilliant.  Our Residential Homes competition is also very well supported and this year we held a Flower Festival at St Peter's Church which also included those entries. The theme was 'Sing it with Flowers' and there were some very imaginative displays.

​"I would like to thank and congratulate everyone who took part this year.  Harrogate in Bloom is also grateful to our award afternoon sponsors Transdev and the Old Swan Hotel."

​The RHS Britain in Bloom results will be announced on 27 October in Llandudno.

​Harrogate in Bloom 2017 award winners:


Betty's Trophy - Residential Community Swan Court

Crowther Memorial Trophy (Care Homes)  - St Andrew's Police Treatment Centre

​Harlow Carr Boarding Kennels Trophy (Commercial and Retail Properties) -Victoria Shopping Centre

Harrogate Chamber of Trade Trophy (Communal Grounds) -Low Harrogate Bowling Club

Harrogate Civic Society Cup (My Garden) - Bernie and Maureen Poulter

Harrogate Borough Council Yorkshire Rose Shield (Pubs and Restaurants) -Wetherspoons Winter Garden

Hotels and Guesthouse Association Trophy (Hotels and Guesthouses) - Grafton Boutique B&B

Young at Heart Trophy (Residential Homes)  - Heath Lodge

​Stanley Hines Memorial Trophy (Residential Homes (Dementia)) - Apley Grange

Edgar Scholey Trophy (Best Allotment Site) - North Outfall

Harrogate Borough Council Trophy (Best Allotment Plot) - Fiona Walker, North Outfall

Harrogate in Bloom President's Trophy - Rossett School

Christine Dean Cup - Brackenfield School

Hammond Mann Trophy - Springboard - Harrogate Homeless Project

​Harrogate in Bloom Henson Tankard - Christine Catterall and David Gelder

Harrogate in Bloom Shield  - Woodlands Church Community Garden

McCrindle Trophy (People's Choice Residential Homes) - Hampden House 

Mayor's Award - Lynne Mee

“We are privileged to welcome you to Harrogate and are delighted that we are to be judged on this special day for our county.  Being judged in Champions of Champions means it is one Yorkshire Day that will hold very special memories for all of us involved in this year’s campaign.  Indeed it is an honour to have been selected.  Harrogate is proud of its In Bloom successes and we are proud to be representing Yorkshire.

“You have a busy schedule as we take you on a tour across the town visiting many of the groups which make up Team Harrogate and who collectively make Harrogate worthy of being nominated in this elite category."

​Staff have volunteered to adopt the busy pedestrian passage between James Street and the Market Place by weeding, sweeping and generally making it look spick and span ready for the Royal Horticultural Society judges who will be in town on 1 August.

​Tim Axe, a Partner at LCF Barber Titleys, said: “We are the solicitors for the Harrogate Flower Shows and we understand that the town relies heavily on its floral reputation for tourism and its wider economy.  Harrogate residents and businesses recognise we have a council that sees the value of investing in its parks and gardens but, like all local authorities, its resources are reducing. It’s heartening to see the support provided by Harrogate in Bloom, which consists of eight hardworking volunteers. We were therefore keen to help by ‘buddying up’ with Harrogate in Bloom, which has an outstanding record, having won many floral awards, but the Champion of Champions competition is the pinnacle.” 

​The idea for a ‘business buddy’ scheme was suggested by Harrogate’s Mayor, Councillor Anne Jones, when she attended a business seminar held by Harrogate in Bloom in May.  The aim of the get together was to encourage businesses to support the ‘Rooting for Harrogate’ campaign and also derive commercial benefit from the town’s In Bloom successes.

​Harrogate is one of just seven towns in the country chosen by the national judges to enter the elite category of Champions of Champions and the only town in Yorkshire. The judging day is on Yorkshire Day, 1 August.

Pam Grant, President of Harrogate in Bloom, wants the town to really shine. She said: “We are grateful to Tim and the team at LCF Barber Titleys for their support.  The ginnel is bedecked with beautiful hanging baskets, but is looking a little shabby at ground level.  We will be taking the judges from James Street, cutting between shops Accessorise and East, to meet James White, Manager of the Victoria Shopping Centre, who is one of a number of businesses also supporting our campaign.  We want the town looking beautiful, but we want people to have fun too, and be proud of Harrogate and our county which is why we are encouraging everyone to wear a white rose on Yorkshire Day.” 

​The 2017 Britain in Bloom winners will be announced on 27 October at the awards ceremony being held in Llandudno.

l/r Councillor Anne Jones (Mayor of Borough of Harrogate); Tim Axe (Partner LCF Barber Titleys); Pam Grant (President of Harrogate in Bloom).

Visitors to a flower festival held in St Peter's Church 6-11 June were greeted with the sight and sound of music.  The theme for the arrangements was 'Sing it with flowers' and throughout the festival church organisers played the music which inspired the entries. 

There were 30 creative arrangements from songs as wide-ranging as 'There's a hole in my bucket' (St Peter's Church Cleaning Team) through to 'Build me up Buttercup' (Harrogate Dales Association) and The Carpenters Sweet Sweet Smile (Harrogate Spa Dental Care).

Winners will be announced on Sunday, 19 June.

There was also a number of entries on show from Harrogate in Bloom's summer competition for care homes which had used the same musical theme.  These were judged my Mr Malcolm Swift QC and winners will be announced at the group's awards afternoon in September.

Helen Stalker from St Peter's Church who organised the event with support from Harrogate in Bloom, said:  "The theme certainly attracted attention and creativity.  We had entries from young school children, individuals, clubs, groups and businesses. We were so pleased that a number of residents from the care homes came along to enjoy the festival.  Entertainment for them was provided by Jane Reeves, Heather Lawton and accompanying pianist Paul Dyson."

The festival, which was arranged to support Harrogate's entry this year in the elite category of Champion of Champions in the Royal Horticultural Society's Britain in Bloom awards, was sponsored by KD Carpets, Harrogate Spa Dental Care and Harrogate in Bloom.

​
Photo: l/r Cllr Christine Willoughby Deputy Mayor of Harrogate, Helen Stalker St Peter's Church, Angela Henson Harrogate in Bloom and Cllr Anne Jones Mayor of Harrogate 

​Competition judge, Nick Smith, Show Director of the Harrogate Flower Shows and members of the show team planted up the gardens on Monday (5 June).  He said:  "The girls' designs are very creative and we have used cheerful and colourful plants to do justice to that.  We were really pleased that the schools allowed the girls an hour from lessons to come and help.

​"It is so heartening to see that children want to create something beautiful for their town.  This mirrors what we and Harrogate in Bloom want to do."

​The competition is sponsored by the Harrogate Flower Shows with support from Harrogate Borough Council and West Park United Reformed Church. This year it has also been supported by the Victoria Shopping Centre. 

​Manager James White said:  "We were delighted to allow two of our raised beds to be used in this special year as Harrogate bids to become Britain in Bloom Champion of Champions.  There can't be many shopping centre that will have their gardens planted by an award winning show team.  I think the designs are stunning and we will be sponsoring two signs explaining the winning designs to the many hundreds of people who will walk past them every day throughout the summer.  We shall look forward to seeing Phoebe and Ellora again as they meet the judges on the piazza on judging day on 1 August which is of course Yorkshire Day so we will all be 'Rooting for Harrogate."

The meeting, which was held by courtesy of the Cedar Court Hotel and chaired by Jean Macquarrie Editor of the Harrogate Advertiser series which is backing the campaign, heard from a number of speakers including the Chair of Visit Harrogate, Caroline Bayliss.  She said:  "Harrogate doesn't just happen. 'Brand Harrogate' is based on the elegance and style of our town supported by its floral and spa heritage.  There is any army of people, including volunteers and businesses, who make it a place people want to live, work and visit.

"And Britain in Bloom is one of the elements that proves year after year that Harrogate wears the floral crown.  I was lucky enough to be at Chelsea Flower Show last week and visited the Welcome to Yorkshire stand. That day they had been approached by a group of travel agents wanting to bring visitors from the Americas to visit major gardens."

​It is things like winning Britain in Bloom that makes sure Harrogate gets more than its fair share of visitors which clearly demonstrates there is a commercial as well as a community  value to the In Bloom campaign. 

​Caroline added:  "We are multi gold award winners regionally and nationally and Harrogate is the only town ever to have twice won Europe in Bloom.  Wins like this support Harrogate Borough Council in its choice of generously budgeting for the Parks and Environmental Services Team in this time of tight council budgets.  They know our floral displays and beautiful parks and gardens are a major reason people visit our district.  If the council did not have the economic arguments of tourism for this spending that picture could be very different and you as businesses and we as residents would suffer."

​A range of ideas for business support was produced for the meeting and offers of help are flooding in.  From simply displaying Rooting for Harrogate window stickers to fully decorating windows to plans for a 'floral battle bus', litterpicks, free photography, videos and virtual tours and even our new Mayor, Cllr Anne Jones came up with the brilliant idea of 'Business BUDies.

​Harrogate is one of just seven towns in the country to have been chosen by the national judges to enter Champion of Champions and the only town in Yorkshire.  By brilliant synergy we will be judged on 1 August which is Yorkshire Day.

​Champion of Champions pits the best against the best.  Harrogate will be up against Aberdeen, Elswick (Lancashire), Hillsborough (Ireland) Oldham (Greater Manchester) Portishead (South West) and St Peter Port Guernsey.

​Photograph : Business leaders 'Rooting for Harrogate' in the gardens at Cedar Court Hotel

There are three categories:  First Impressions for business and commercial premises: Our Garden for communal gardens and My Garden for private homes for the 'Best Front Garden'.

Mary Mann, Harrogate in Bloom's competition administrator is urging anyone who is proud of their garden to enter in this special year.
 
She added:  "Most gardeners garden for their own enjoyment but they actually bring pleasure to many.  We are all guilty of taking a quick peek over the hedge or through the gate as we drive or walk by.  There are wonderful blooming business premises too.  Some have manicured gardens and others excellent window boxes or hanging baskets such as Graveleys Seafood Restaurant, Christies Bar, The Yorkshire Hotel, Cedar Court Hotel, Vivido Restaurant, The Alexander, Weatherspoon's, The Old Swan and the Istanbul Bar and Restaurant.  But there are many more both public and private and we would love to celebrate that.

"Large or small, all your own work or a team effort or even with an employed gardener, we would like to see you enter this year and we would love to show the judges some of the summer garden entries."

The awards are sponsored by Transdev.  Closing date is 1 July and entry forms are available at www.harrogateinbloom.org.uk.

All entrants will be invited to Harrogate in Bloom's Awards Afternoon on Sunday, 24 September 2017 at the Old Swan Hotel when the winners will be announced. 

Entries in Harrogate in Bloom's Care Homes competition will be exhibited at St Peter's Flower Festival 6-11 June. The festival theme is 'Sing it with Flowers'.

​Harrogate Borough Council produces 600 hanging baskets for the town as part of its summer display but in partnership with Harrogate in Bloom it also provides a further 134 at a subsidised rate which are made available to town centre businesses.  The council's award winning Parks and Environmental Services Team grow the plants, produce the baskets, then hang, water and maintain them throughout the summer.

​Lynne Mee, Hanging Basket co-ordinator for Harrogate in Bloom, thanks all the businesses who have taken part in this special year.  She added: "Many of these businesses have been buying baskets for years and it is lovely to have new companies on board this year.  Our flower beds, parks and gardens are always stunning but the hanging baskets at shops, cafes, restaurants and offices are always popular and do add something to the front of business premises.

​"Visitors are vital to Harrogate's economy so as always we are trying to make sure the town looks its best.  This year it is even more vital because being nominated by the Britain in Bloom judges to enter Champion of Champions is a big deal for Team Harrogate and a huge accolade for the town.  We have an outstanding In Bloom record having won Yorkshire in Bloom title 33 times, Britain in Bloom 12 times and Europe in Bloom twice but Champion of Champions is a different ball game.  It is pitting the country's best against the best."

An hour-long meeting will be held at the Cedar Court Hotel in Harrogate at 8.00am on Thursday 25 May for businesses to find out more about the bid and how they can use the success to derive benefit for their own business as well.  Email mee.lynne2@gmail.com to reserve a place.

​Harrogate, which was a Britain in Bloom gold winner last year, is competing against Aberdeen, Elswick in Lancashire, Hillsborough in Northern Ireland, Oldham, Portishead in Somerset and St Peter Port Guernsey.  

The hanging baskets will go up first week in June and businesses taking part in this year's scheme are:

​Barber & Mack
Bijou Hair
Berwins 
Bespoke Eyewear
Caffe Marconi
Carter Jonas
Castle Galleries
Cordings Ltd
Covet
Drum and Monkey
Duttons for Buttons
Eura Audit UK(Harrogate)
Exchange Place
Farrow and Ball
Fit to Bust
Verity Frearson
Giannis Trattoria
Richard Grafton Interiors
H2K of Harrogate
Hales Bar
Hamptons Jewellers
Harrogate Borough Council Parking Services
Harrogate Fine Wine Company
Harrogate International Festival
Harrogate Traditional Sweet Shop
Hawico of Scotland
Hoopers
HSBC
Hunters
Jespers of Harrogate
Knight Frank
Lawrance Apart-hotel
Linley & Simpson
Magpie Greeting Cards
Manning Stainton
Maturi
Montpellier Property Consultants
The Montpellier 
Montpellier Retail Group
Morphets of Harrogate
Myrings Estate Agents
NatWest
North Park Dental Service
Ogdens of Harrogate
Old Bell Tavern
Owl Menswear 
Prego Cafe and Bar
Quantro Restaurant
Rose Velvet
Serenity Spa 
Smithers Menswear
Specsavers
Spirit of Harrogate
St Peter's Church
G A Taylor Jewellers
Townhouse Design
Treatment Rooms
Victoria Shopping Centre
Spirit of Harrogate
Yorkshire Bank

Photograph shows l/r Michael Mackinnon Barber & Mack Gentlemen's Hairdressing; Emily Benson of Covet Lifestyle Store; Andy Langshaw of Harrogate Fine Wine Company and Steve Mulhaire of Owl Menswear

Harrogate in Bloom and other like-minded local organisations, has launched a ‘Rooting for Harrogate’ campaign to galvanise local support.

The town has an extraordinary record of achievement: 33 times winner of Yorkshire in Bloom, 12 times winner of Britain in Bloom and the only town ever to have won Europe in Bloom twice. This is the third-time Harrogate has been nominated in the Champion of Champions category.

Harrogate Water marketing manager Nicky Cain: "Harrogate has an outstanding reputation in the RHS competition and we will do all we can to help and raise awareness of the town’s record of achievement. There's real value to the competition both at a community level and a commercial level for local businesses. We have recently become a major partner of Keep Britain Tidy and we are delighted to partner with Harrogate in Bloom."

Harrogate in Bloom president Pam Grant said: "Harrogate Water shares our passion for the town, its community and environment and their support will be of benefit in all three pillars of the competition: environmental responsibility, community participation and horticultural excellence. Collaborating with a Harrogate company that is internationally renowned is going to be invaluable.

"Harrogate is also lucky that it has a council which still sees benefit from investing in its parks, gardens and open spaces but with ever-reducing government funding we are also reliant on volunteers. We want everyone rooting for Harrogate, both individuals and businesses, joining together to celebrate and ultimately enjoy and benefit from our town’s success."

Harrogate businesses are being invited to a breakfast meeting in 25 May to encourage more involvement in the 'Rooting for Harrogate' campaign.

Harrogate, which was a Britain in Bloom gold winner last year, is competing against Aberdeen, Elswick in Lancashire, Hillsborough in Northern Ireland, Oldham, Portishead in Somerset and St Peter Port, Guernsey. 

Photograph - l/r James Cain OBE Managing Director Harrogate Spring Water, Lynne Mee Press Officer Harrogate in Bloom, Pam Grant President Harrogate in Bloom and Nicky Cain Marketing Manager Harrogate Spring Water.

The trail details work as old as Queen Victoria's 1887 Golden Jubilee statue in Station Gardens, right up 2014 when local artist Caryl Hallett created and donated a bespoke piece of stained glass celebrating the Harrogate Grand Depart of the Tour de France.  The trail also features another recent generous bequest of an early 20th century statue 'La Douche'.  Sculpted by the notable Charles Raphael Peyre, that bequest was made in honour of Mrs Mehroo Jehangir the daughter of the late Sir Dhunjibhoy and his wife Lady Frainy Bomanji all great Harrogate benefactors. 

Angela Henson thanks the Harrogate Civic Society for their support while she was compiling the guide and for financial assistance to have it designed and printed.  She added:  "These pieces are made in every media from glass to copper, to steel and stone and the chainsaw carvings on tree trunks on Montpellier Hill and the Valley Gardens mean trees beyond their natural life are still giving pleasure.

"We decided that we wanted something new to show the Britain in Bloom judges and as time is tight on judging day we came up with the idea of this trail which I hope visitors will enjoy using and learning more about artwork in Harrogate's public parks and gardens.

Harrogate is one of just seven towns in the country to have been chosen by the national judges to enter the prestigious category of Champion of Champions and the only town in Yorkshire.  By brilliant synergy we will be judged on Yorkshire Day 1 August.

Champion of Champions pits the best against the best.  Harrogate will be up against Aberdeen, Elswick (Lancashire), Hillsborough (Ireland) Oldham (Greater Manchester) Portishead (South West) and St Peter Port Guernsey.

Copies of the sculpture trail are available from Tourist Information Centres or you can download it by clicking the pdf icon below.

Thanks to sponsorship by Harrogate Flower Shows (North of England Horticultural Society) every child will receive a certificate and the four age group winners will receive a mug showing their design and a family ticket to the Harrogate Spring Flower Show 2017.

Nick Smith, Show Director, Harrogate Spring Flower Shows, who judged the competition along with Harrogate in Bloom competition organisers Mary Mann and Angela Henson, was amazed at the entries. He added: "As well as the record breaking number of entries, we also saw a rise in quality. Every year we love what the children come up with but this year we were bowled over as the standard was even higher.

"It is so heartening to see that children want to create something beautiful for their town. This mirrors what we and Harrogate in Bloom want to do. I would also like to congratulate this voluntary group for its annual competitions which really do encourage involvement from all age groups and sectors of the town. I know they also get a good response from nursing and residential homes in the summer competition but they hope this year to encourage more from businesses and residents so that we can capture and celebrate what they also do for the town."

Harrogate in Bloom would also like to thank the management of the Victoria Shopping Centre for allowing the winning garden designs to be planted up at the centre.

The winners are as follows:

Pre-school - Sophia Whitaker, Brackenfield School

Reception - George Dill, Rossett Acre

KS1 - Phoebe Lavery, Ashville College　

KS2 - Ellora Turner, Brackenfield School

The awards ceremony took place on Saturday 1 April 2017 at West Park United Reformed Church which was attended by the Mayor of the Borough of Harrogate, Councillor Nick Brown.