Heywood in Bloom judging

Date published: 18 July 2018

Judges from the Royal Horticultural Society visited Heywood for the annual North West in Bloom judging on Monday (16 July).

The route started with the Industrial Park at Pilsworth, which won an RHS regional award in 2017 for its outstanding recycling, conservation and exceptional work in keeping such a large area well cared for. This park has retained its gold status for a number of years.

From there, it was a visit to the offices of Crown Oil, a family-run business and sponsors of Heywood in Bloom.

Lunch, at the café in Queens Park, gave the judges, Russ Baguley and John Bilsborough, to ask questions plus make notes.

The area of Heap Bridge has stand-out saddle baskets, soldier cutouts and commemorative stamps.

Next stop was the summit planting. The resident gardeners were sitting outside Bridge Lodge sheltered housing complex, ready to share their gardening improvements with the judges.

The route included two primary schools, St Luke’s CE and All Souls. Both schools have groups of children who have have worked in the gardening groups this year. Children showed the judges around their school grounds; St Luke’s Primary School won a top award in 2017 as an eco-school, which it is hoping to retain this year.

Cherwell Wellbeing Centre, the winners last year of the Best New Landscaping Award, was next stop. The gardens at the back of the centre include an area which houses animals open to the public during the week.

The cricket club, Heywood railway station and the Blind Welfare Centre are new entries and the judges paid their first visit to these sites.

The walk through the town centre and memorial gardens gave the judges the opportunity to see the new raised bed which this year was planted up with a large poppy. The cutouts of the soldiers and the commemorative stamp carried on the theme across to the memorial gardens whilst complimenting the poppy benches. Heywood won gold standard for its town centre in last year’s judging. 

The tour ended with a visit to TOPS, where the manager Ania, one of the committee members, had laid on a meal to end the proceedings. The judges had a tour of TOPS gardens, which also won a gold standard for 2017.

Ellen Wintle-Yates, chairwoman of Heywood in Bloom, said: “We would like to thank all the volunteers, committee members, local businesses, council workers, environmental services, township councillors for their ongoing sponsorship and support throughout 2018.

“It’s the ethos of all working hand in hand together that has seen our success to date and the wonderful improvements enjoyed by those who work and live in Heywood.”