Saying it with flowers – Shropshire is a winner

Towns, villages, and pubs across the county scooped awards in a range of categories.

Notable successes included Shrewsbury, which again won a gold award.

It was a notable achievement, because responsibility for the entry had been passed from the council to members of the Shrewsbury BID business group.

Oswestry struck gold in the large town category and Ludlow, Bridgnorth and Ledbury also were gold winners in the town section of the awards.

The long-awaited gold, silver-gilt, silver and bronze awards achieved in the Heart of England in Bloom campaign were announced by the Heart of England in Bloom committee at a presentation event held at Benn Hall, Rugby.

More than 180 delegates from 47 entries of villages, towns, urban communities and cities within the Heart of England region attended the event along with representatives from some of the 31 entrants in the Hotel and Pub Gardens Campaign.

Heart of England in Bloom is the regional element of the Britain in Bloom campaign organised by the Royal Horticultural Society, which encourages communities to improve and enhance their local environment.

Main awards:

• Shrewsbury BID: gold and category award

• Oswestry in Bloom: gold in the large town category

• Ludlow in Bloom, Bridgnorth Town Council and Ledbury in Bloom: gold in the town category,

• Claverley in Bloom: gold in the village category

• Leominster in Bloom: silver-gilt in the town category

Pub and hotel awards:

• Old Castle Inn, Bridgnorth: gold

• Charlton Arms, Ludlow: silver-gilt

• Barrels Pub in Hereford: gold

Discretionary awards:

• Leominster in Bloom: It’s Your Neighbourhood Theme Award

• The Cambrian Railway Orchard Project (CROP) in Oswestry: Chairman’s Award

• The Holme Lacy House Hotel in Herefordshire: Grounds Maintenance Award

• Trevor Swindells, from Hereford in Bloom, won the The Heart of England Outstanding Merit Award

Last year Shrewsbury was named the UK Champion of Champions in the competition, but no Shropshire entries have made it through to the national finals this time.

Pubs to celebrate wins in the county included the Old Castle Inn in Bridgnorth and the Charlton Arms in Ludlow.

Over the border, Hereford won in the small city category.

Discretionary awards were also presented to individuals, entries, businesses or groups that the judges felt were worthy of a special mention for outstanding achievementy.

Roger Bache, chairman of Heart of England in Bloom, said: "Entrants give a lot of time and effort to make where they live and work a nicer, safer place to be and are very proud when they receive their prestigious awards."