National judging day as Rochdale represents North West in Britain in Bloom

Date published: 09 August 2022

This year’s Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Britain In Bloom competition came to Rochdale on Friday (5 August) to judge the visual presentation and efforts of Rochdale in Bloom.

The town has once again been put forward to represent the North West nationally, after it won gold in the ‘small city’ category in 2021, its fifth consecutive gold in the category.

Unlike the regional competition, where individual entries and features are judged, the national judging route is a ‘snapshot’ of the whole town in bloom.

The judges – from Exeter and Berkshire - started their journey of at Owd Betts before being guided around Rochdale's spectacular floral locations including Norden Jubilee Park, Caldershaw Green, Cutgate alleygate, Denehurst Park, Rochdale AFC’s Wonderwall, Castleton Railway Station, Castleton War Memorial, The Growth Project (which aims to support mental health through gardening), Springhill Hospice and Bilal Mosque.

The judges finished their route in the town centre starting at Number One Riverside and heading along Baillie Street to view the mural and planters. After coming down Bull Brow to the reopened the River Roch, they learnt about the restoration of the Town Hall and visited the World War One pop-up garden in Rochdale Memorial Gardens.

The finalists’ final score – ranging from gold to bronze – will be announced at an awards ceremony in London on 10 October.