A part of Britain in Bloom
n addition to Parks and Country Parks, we also feature a category for Heritage and Historic Parks & Gardens. Our region is home to a wealth of beautiful spots in this category, with past entries including Highdown Gardens, Riverhill Himalayan Gardens, Hole Park, Hever Castle, Penshurst Place, Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, Walmer Castle, Osborne House, and Farringford House & Gardens on the Isle of Wight, to name just a few. These stunning gardens are well worth a visit if you get the chance, and they represent only a fraction of the wonderful locations in our area—we’d love to see even more participate. If you’re connected to a Heritage or Historic Garden, consider getting involved. To enter, visit www.inbloom.org.uk and complete the form under the “entry form” tab. For more details, email our campaign manager at kate@sseib.com.
South & South East in Bloom welcomes entries from community groups or foe groups of volunteers who are working to improve the place where they live. This scheme is open to any small group of residents who have come together to improve an area, or undertake a one-off project. Any group can enter; a street,
Since South & South East in Bloom started in the 1970’s businesses have been a major contributor in brightening up our High Streets and Town Centres and creating destination hubs and visitor experiences across our region. Following South & South East in Bloom running Business Improvement Districts and Town Centre categories for several years,
South & South in Bloom (part of Britain in Bloom) is an annual competition & campaign that encourages participation and enables communities to be recognized for the work they do to maintain their Villages, Parishes, Towns, Cities, Urban Communities, Coastal Town, Business Improvement Districts and Green Spaces.
South & South East in Bloom is part of a larger initiative called Britain in Bloom, which hosts annual competitions in various counties including Kent, Surrey, East & West Sussex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, East & North Dorset, and East Wiltshire. Each year, a wide range of entries come from villages, towns, cities, and even urban communities and business districts. Judges visit these communities to assess their efforts, and awards are given to celebrate their achievements.
In addition, we organise the RHS It’s Your Neighbourhood campaign, which encourages community gardening in our region.
There is something for everyone with categories for individuals, and communities of all sizes, also this year we have new initiatives including “Station in Bloom” and a “Biodiversity Award” as well as the RHS Community Awards
Many people have misconceptions about what “Bloom” really means. While it might sound like it’s just about summer flowers, hanging baskets, and window boxes, that is not our sole focus, which has significantly changed over the years. Today, while gardening, horticulture, and creating beautiful spaces is still important, we also strongly emphasise caring for our environment and encouraging community members to actively look after their neighbourhoods.
