We live in a 'blooming marvellous' part of the country, and today communities across Norfolk and north Suffolk were honoured with an array of special horticultural awards to prove it.
Six counties have been competing in the 2012 Anglia in Bloom Awards, and the award ceremony at St Ives, in Cambridgeshire, this morning saw Norwich crowned the winner of the city (100,001 to 200,000 residents) category as well as scoop five other top prizes.
The city's Mancroft Ward won the urban community and also the most improved categories, while the University of East Anglia's Broad and Marsh won the biodiversity award.
Chapelfield Gardens, in Norwich, was named the best public open space, and the Grapes Hill Community Garden was honoured with the best community project accolade.
Around the rest of our part of the region, Filby won the small village (up to 1,000 residents) prize, Wisbech won the large town (12,001 to 35,000 residents) category, and Hunstanton was named the coastal winner.
South Wootton Junior School Garden Club was given the Grow Your Own Award, while The Old Station, at Heacham, won best industrial/commercial area.
The Esplanade Gardens, in Hunstanton, won best local authority floral display, and Acle High School Garden Club was the winner of the best young person's project (12 to 18-year-olds).
Bob Ollier, chairman of Anglia in Bloom, said: 'After one of the wettest and most difficult summers, including a hose pipe ban, it is astonishing that the Anglia communities have achieved some of the best 'blooming' displays across the six counties of the Anglia Region.
'With superb floral displays, excellent community work, we have seen standards raised beyond expectations.'
He said it was evident this year that the key to success was community involvement where everyone pulls together, gets involved and then delivers.
'I wish to congratulate all the communities and neighbourhoods in the east of England, for the enthusiasm, commitment and effort made to improve, develop and sustain local environments across our region. It is a great credit to you all. 'Well Done.'
The Anglia in Bloom winners, runners-up and nominees from our part of the region:
Small Village (up to 1,000 residents)
Winner and Gold Award: Filby
Silver Awards: Blundeston, Great Ringstead, Sea Palling and Waxham
Bronze Award: Holme Hale
Large Town (12,001-35,000 residents)
Winner and Gold Award: Wisbech
Gold Award: King's Lynn
City (100,001–200,000 residents)
Winner and Gold Award: Norwich
Urban community
Winner and Gold Award: Mancroft, The Lanes (Norwich)
Silver Gilt Award: Town Close Ward (Norwich)
Silver Awards: Thorpe Hamlet (Norwich), University of East Anglia, Waterlees (Wisbech)
Coastal (up to 35,000 residents)
Winner and Silver Gilt Award: Hunstanton
Silver Gilt Awards: Great Yarmouth, Heacham, Lowestoft,
Silver Award: Sheringham.
Small Town (2501-6000 residents)
Gold AwardNB. not category winner: South Wootton.
Silver Award: Swaffham
Large Village (1,001-2,500 residents)
Silver award: acle
Town (6,001-12,000 residents)
Silver Gilt Award: Downham Market
*****
Special Awards
Most Improved: Mancroft, The Lanes (Norwich)
Biodiversity Award
Winner: Broad and Marsh, University of East Anglia
Nominations:
Beeston Common, Sheringham
Viewing Platform and Boardwalk, Filby
Broad and Marsh, University of East Anglia
Best Community Project
Winner: Grapes Hill Community Garden, Norwich
Nominations:
Chalk Pit, Great Ringstead
Grapes Hill Community Garden, Norwich
Sunnyside Sheltered Housing, Heacham
Grow Your Own Award
Winner: South Wootton Junior School Garden Club.
Nominations:
Acle Allotments
South Wootton Junior School Gardening Club
St Margaret's Road Allotments, Lowestoft
The Allotments, Filby
Best Industrial/Commercial Area
Winner: The Old Station, Heacham
Nominations:
Living Wall, Marks and Spencer, Norwich.
The Old Station, Heacham
Best Local Authority Floral Display
Winner: The Esplanade Gardens, Hunstanton
Nominations:
All Saints Green, Norwich
The Esplanade Gardens, Hunstanton
Best Public Open Space
Winner: Chapelfield Gardens, Norwich
Nominations:
Beeston Hills Putting Green, Sheringham.
Chapelfield Gardens, Norwich
The Green, South Wootton
Best Young Persons Project (12 to 18-year-olds)
Winner: Acle High School Garden Club
Nominations:
Acle High School Garden Club
Neil Wade Community College, March
The Patch, Sheringham High School
Best Conservation Project
Nominations:
Searles Leisure Resort, Hunstanton
St John's Churchyard, Waxham.
Best Drought /Sustainable Garden
Nominations:
Carlton Gardens and Jetty Timbers, Great Yarmouth.
Fenland/Osbourne Park, Waterlees
Gravel Border, St Stephens Churchyard, Norwich
Environmental Quality Award
Nominations:
Heacham
Wisbech
Best Individual/Community Floral Display
Nominations:
The Plough Bed, Heacham
Village Centre, Ringstead
Winchester Towers, Norwich
Best Garden for Special Needs
Nominations:
Harbour Pupil Referral Centre, Lowestoft
Norwich City College.
St Katherine's Court, Kings Lynn
Best Young Peoples Project (12 years and under)
Nominations:
St Peters Church of England School, Wisbech
The Eco Club, Heacham
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