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