Fife finalists hope to bloom at UK awards

Britain in Bloom judges on a previous visit to Kirkcaldy. Picture by Fife Photo Agency

Kirkcaldy and Kilconquhar have been chosen along with six other finalists north of the border in the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) awards.

They will join 71 other Britain in Bloom finalists competing to be crowned one of the cleanest, greenest and most beautiful places in the UK.

The Scotland finalists were chosen for their commitment to environmental responsibility, their high levels of community participation and their outstanding gardening achievements.

Between them the eight Scottish groups will plant hundreds of thousands of bulbs, seasonal plants, shrubs and trees across the country, transforming hard grey areas and enhancing green spaces to benefit both the community and the environment.

In August the finalists will lead RHS Britain in Bloom judges on a tour of their areas as they bid to win a top award. The winners will be announced at the Britain in Bloom awards ceremony in Llandudno, North Wales on October 27.

Kirkcaldy will compete in the ‘small city’ category. This follows the success of community group Growing Kirkcaldy in winning the ‘small city’ category in Beautiful Scotland last year. Judges particularly commented on the beautiful and well-used public spaces.

The Beautiful Kilconquhar group won the ‘wee village’ category in Beautiful Scotland 2016, earning its place in the ‘small village’ section at this year’s British awards.

Now in its 53rd year, Britain in Bloom has evolved into a UK-wide campaign that brings communities together while promoting the environmental and health and wellbeing benefits of gardening.

Carole Noble, operations director with Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “Keep Scotland Beautiful, in partnership with the RHS, has supported the work of these local authority and community led groups, to raise horticultural standards, improve environmental quality and to reach out to members of the community for decades.

“We’d like to wish the Scottish finalists, all winners in our Beautiful Scotland campaign which celebrates pride in our local neighbourhoods, every success for 2017.”