In Bloom made Bexhill brighter

The town's annual horticultural competition set a new benchmark for quality, with chair Sandy Melvin calling the level "the highest I've seen".

Last week's Observer carried a picture of the winners, but here we reveal the names of those talented few, read out to a crowd of local dignitaries including mayor Cllr Jimmy Carroll, incoming president of Bexhill's Chamber of Commerce Jerry Robinson, and Greenfingered Fred, the gardening guru from ESK in Eastbourne, who attends each year to congratulate winners and dispense wisdom.

A new category, community gardens for blocks of flats or residential homes, proved particularly popular, with Fernleigh Court, Sutherland Avenue, pipping St Nectan's, of Cantelupe Road, by just a few points.

The theme for next year's youth compeitition was revealed as Plant a Seaside Garden.

Prizes were sponsored by ESK Gardening Club, Courtlands Road, Eastbourne, and Freedom Leisure.

Sandy thanked them both, all the judges, the In Bloom committee and local ground staff from John O'Connors, who gave two prizes for youngsters, handed out geranium plugs, and are responsible for maintaining the seafront flowerbeds, among others.

Bexhill in Bloom will be in the Polegrove on Bank Holiday Monday, August 30, for the Bexhill 100 vintage car show.

'¢ CHILDREN from King Offa Primary School, pictured, celebrated a double victory. As well as scooping the Rotherview Nursery Cup for Youth Effort, youngsters were given a Silver Gilt award in the regional version of Bexhill's competition - South and South East In Bloom.

Pebsham Community Primary School were also singled out for a Silver Gilt award, while St Mary's Special School and College took a Bronze Award.

Just nine schools from East Sussex took prizes, so Bexhill can be proud to represent one-third of the winners.

RESULTS

'¢ The Rotherview Nursery Cup for Youth Effort

First - King Offa Primary

Second - All Saints Primary

Third - St Mary's Wrestwood

'¢ The Bexhill Chamber of Commerce award for a Hotel or Guest House

First - Cooden Beach Hotel

'¢ Dougie Boustred Cup for a Licensed Premises

First - The Wheatsheaf

Second - The Garden Cafe

'¢ Country Garden Cup for Private Formal Gardens

First - 6 Courthope Drive

Second - 15 Southcliffe

Third - 7 Lionel Road

'¢ Country Garden Cup for Containers

First - 6 Lionel Road

Second - 15 St Marks

Third - 27 St Marks

'¢ Collington Lodge Cup for Garden Flats or Balcony

First - Basement Flat, 33 Cantelupe Road

Second - Flat 2, 24 Buckhurst Road

'¢ Rother Challenge Cup for Retail or Commercial

First - Ken Findlay Estate Agent

Second - Property Cafe

Third - Claremont Vet

'¢ The Observer Cup for Overall Area Winner

Little Common

'¢ Bexhill Horticultural Society Challenge Cup for Community Garden

First - Fernleigh

Second - St Nectans

Third - Peterhouse

'¢ Bert West Memorial Bowl for Special Awards

First - 73a Centre

Second - Sackville Road Methodist Church

Third - Glyne Gap School

'¢ Garden Design Award for Good Design

First - 1 Collington Rise

Second - 41a Barnhorn Road