Shropshire's 'town of flowers' seeks to defend Heart of England in Bloom crown as judges welcomed to region

Judges for the regional Heart of England in Bloom competition visited defending champions Shrewsbury on Tuesday (July 22), viewing the county town's stunning gardens, beautiful attractions and floral displays. 

During their visit, judges were given a tour of locations which Shrewsbury Town Council said represent the impact of Shrewsbury’s horticultural and community projects. 

The tour began at the Love2Stay Touring & Glamping Resort where judges were shown the impressive 'natural pool'. They were then taken to Weeping Cross Nursery, The Dingle and Shrewsbury Castle, among other sites.

Mayor of Shrewsbury, Alex Wager said: "The Heart of England in Bloom judging was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the pride, passion and dedication that goes into making Shrewsbury bloom. 

"I want to thank our incredible team of staff, volunteers and community groups whose hard work was on full display. The judges were clearly impressed, and we've taken on board every comment and suggestion as we look ahead to the Britain in Bloom judging next week. 

"We're proud of what we've achieved - and even more excited for what's to come."

 A stand-out feature at Shrewsbury Castle this year is a stunning carpet bed to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day.

The display, which features more than 10,000 plug plants, was created by horticulturalists Andy Jenks and Karl Jarvis and took a week to prepare and complete. 

In the heart of the town's Quarry, at The Dingle created by world-renowned gardener Percy Thrower, judges were shown more than 30,000 plants which have been carefully placed within the showpiece garden.

Chairman of Shrewsbury in Bloom committee, Stuart Farmer added: "This visit was an invaluable dress rehearsal for the national judging next Thursday. It gave us the chance to trial our new virtual presentation, fine-tune our timings, and gather constructive feedback from the regional judges - all of which will help us as we prepare to compete on the national stage next week."

Shrewsbury has enjoyed recent success in the Heart of England in Bloom competition, having won the overall competition last year. 

Shropshire's county town scooped three awards in 2024, winning the Horticultural Excellence Award, the 'Small City' category as well as being crowned the winner of the overall competition for the first time since the town council's creation. 

The town will compete in the Britain in Bloom UK Finals in the Small City & City category on Thursday, July 31.

All towns and cities in the finals will be judged by the same to judges across a two-week period. 

Shrewsbury is going head-to-head with some of the top floral destinations in the country including Harrogate (Yorkshire in Bloom), Royal Tunbridge Wells (South & South East in Bloom), Aberdeen Communities Together (Keep Scotland Beautiful), Chorley in Bloom (North West in Bloom), Derry (Ulster in Bloom), the London Borough of Tower Hamlets (London in Bloom), and Torquay in Bloom (South West in Bloom).