Bexhill In Bloom - judgement day

The Cooden Beach Hotel was the start point for judges arriving to assess Bexhill In Bloom in the coastal category of the annual competition.

Judges Robin Potter and Fiona Phillips were welcomed by Bexhill In Bloom organiser Sandra Melvin as well as Brian Griffiths of Rother District Council's parks department, Councillor Michael Ensor, and Richard Ostler, who is president of Bexhill's Chamber of Commerce.

In order to fully appreciate Bexhill's appearance as a seaside town, the group travelled first to Little Common area, then Broad Oak Park, Thornbank Close, Buckhurst Place, 73A Centre in London Road, Manor Gardens, Glyne Gap school, the seafront - visiting the Bexhill In Bloom flowerbed commemorating 80 years of Townswomens' Guild - Marina Court Avenue, Sackville Road, Egerton Park and returning to the Cooden Beach Hotel.

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Judge Robin Potter commented: "This is my second visit to Bexhill although I have been judging for four years. It's mainly about looking at horticultural practice, community participation, biodiversity and community involvement by volunteers.

"Last year was a very difficult year because it was so dry, and it is very dry again this year, so we are looking for a choice in plants that will tolerate drought, and the care of plants, such as deadheading, watering, pest control, but we are looking for community involvement and environmental responsibility such as using recycled water and recycling waste, and the encouragement of biodiversity in wildlife areas. We are also looking for community participation, particularly with children and how you teach them about gardening and growing vegetables.

"Bexhill obviously has a very good community spirit here - I think there's lots of volunteers who are keen on improving the general appearance of the town.

"We are looking for not just summer interest, but year-round interest such as spring planting, and we are also looking at ideas and sponsoring from businesses which is quite something in a credit crunch like this."

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Councillor Ensor said: "I think Sandra Melvin is fantastic in encouraging so many people throughout Bexhill to smarten up their houses and put nice colourful flowers out - it is a great opportunity for the judges to come and inspect our lovely town."

He also praised the work of Rother's contractor John O'Connor for work done in public spaces such as the beds along the seafront and in the park.

Richard Ostell added: "The Chamber supports all the hard work that Sandra Melvin does. A lot of it does go un-noticed but it is great that so many people make such an effort to present the town at its best for residents and visitors alike. Businesses are behind it as well."