The Royal Horticultural Society led competition recognises much more than floral displays, with judges praising Northampton’s horticulture, environmental work, and the strength of its community involvement.
Northampton Town Council leads and primarily funds the town’s Bloom project, including the seasonal floral displays across Northampton, working alongside community groups, volunteers and delivery partners, including Northampton Town BID, Bees Be Happy, Veolia, idverde UK, and Park Rangers from West Northamptonshire Council. Northampton Town Business Improvement District (BID) provided additional funding this year to contribute to the town centre planters on display.
Expressing gratitude to all the delivery partners, community groups, schools, organisations and volunteers that made this achievement possible, Cllr Andrew Kilbride (Chair of the Environmental Services Committee at Northampton Town Council) said:
“We hope this fantastic achievement will inspire even more people to get involved, grow, volunteer and help make our town a greener, more attractive and biodiverse place for everyone.”Cllr Andrew KilbrideChair of Environmental Services Committee, Northampton Town Council
East Midlands in Bloom judges visited Northampton in July, following a route which showcased the floral displays alongside heritage sites, community gardens, allotments, parks and wildlife projects. Areas visited were:
Formal planting at the All Saints’ Memorial Garden - West Northamptonshire Council
Abington Street regeneration and landscaping - West Northamptonshire CouncilVisit external link
St Giles’ Churchyard - the St Giles’ Community biodiversity project supported by the Northampton Town BIDVisit external link
St Peter’s Church - planted and cared for by the Friends of St Peter’s including a wildflower areaVisit external link
Castle Park - community volunteers have created raised beds in this new heritage parkVisit external link
Dallington Secret Garden - a long-standing community garden on the edge of Dallington ParkVisit external link
Kingsthorpe Park Allotments - home to the C2C Grows sustainable horticulture project, growing vegetables and flowersVisit external link
Bradlaugh Fields and Barn - tended by Friends of Bradlaugh Fields and Barn, L.I.V.E team, Probation Services and West Northamptonshire Council’s Park RangersVisit external link
Northampton received particularly strong feedback in the community category, with engagement involving new and existing groups, including schools, colleges and disadvantaged groups, described by the judges as “exceptional”. In their assessment report, judges Judith Warner and Liz Alun-Jones, said:
“Northampton exudes a real ‘sense of place’ and is proud of its history from the English Civil War, Great Fire of Northampton and industrial heritage.”Judith Warner and Liz Alun-JonesEast Midlands in Bloom judges
The town’s community-led approach was also recognised through a Judges’ Award for Sandra Robinson and Bees Be Happy, a community garden in the Headlands. Sandra established a gardening club with Sport4Fitness, which grows and propagates plants that are then donated to other community gardens and new gardening projects, helping to support and inspire initiatives across the town. Sandra also plays an important role in the Bloom Working Group, sharing her knowledge, experience and advice with other project participants.
This year, 24 community groups took part in the It’s Your Neighbourhood programme, which forms an important part of Northampton in Bloom and demonstrates the strength of community-led gardening and environmental activity across the town. Projects ranged from community gardens and food growing, to biodiversity, litter picking and improvements to local green spaces.
Their work is showcased in the Northampton in Bloom supporting portfolio which can be found on the town council’s website.
