The campaign runs all year round, in which communities can get involved for as long as they wish. Participants begin in South & South in East in Bloom mostly through participating in local community events and projects and activities that involve local people.
These activities may include group litter picks, bulb planting days and projects with local schools. In addition, local competitions (i.e. best front garden, best shop/pub frontage etc.) might be used to motivate people to participate.
All of the events and activities will then form an integral part of a community’s entry into South & South in East in Bloom in the Britain in Bloom mainstream categories. Communities enter “in Bloom” in the appropriate category based on their confirmed/verifiable electoral roll. In South & South East in Bloom we have the following categories:
Category |
Electoral Roll |
| Small Village of the Year | 1-300 |
| Village of the Year | 301 -1,000 |
| Large Village of the Year | 1,001 -2,500 |
| Small Town of the Year | 2,501 – 6,000 |
| Town of the Year | 6,001-12,000 |
| Large Town of the Year | 12001-35000 |
| Small City of the Year | 35001-100,000 |
| City of the Year | 100,001-200,000 |
| Large City of the Year | over 200,001 |
| Urban Community | up to 12,000 |
| Small Coastal | under 12000 |
| Large Coastal | over 12000 |
In addition we have of non-populations based categories:
| Town Centre of the Year | up to 1 Sq. Kilometre |
| Town Centres | over 1 Sq. Kilometre |
| Business Improvement Districts | not area specific |
| Special Awards | |
| Small Park of the Year | up to 5 acres |
| Park of the Year Awards | 6-10 acres |
| Large Park of the Year | over 10 acres |
| Country Park of the Year Award | No size limit |
| Small Cemetery of the year | up to 5 acres |
| Cemetery of the Year | 5-10 acres |
| Large Cemetery of the Year | over 10 acres |
| Heritage Park/Landscape of the Year | No size limit |
Once registered for South & South East in Bloom you will receive all the particulars of participation from us but one of the standard elements of participation is a visit from our “in Bloom” judges/assessors which normally happens in June/July. Exceptions being that (*) will be initially desktop judged with the shortlisted entries receiving a visit.
Another feature of the campaign is our awards ceremony where we present the results of the judging/assessing, this usually takes place in September
An Entrants seminar is organised and usually run in February or March and all entrants are invited. In April a judges meeting is held and judges are allocated a category to judge/assess. A pair of judges is selected for main stream entries and a single judge is selected for Schools and RHS Britain in Bloom It’s Your Neighbourhood entries.
Judging for Schools takes place from mid-June to allow for assessment and award of certificates etc before the summer break.
Mainstream entries, parks etc are judged or assessed in July.
For those who are involved in the Britain in Bloom finals judging takes place in August.
Judges scores and reports are verified during August and the annual awards to which all are invited usually takes place in September each year.