Final preparations are underway this week for the first of two bloom judging days during which Shrewsbury’s floral paragons will be judged against exacting criteria.
Judges will be visiting the town for the regional Heart of England competition on July 23, returning for the national heats on August 5.
To celebrate reaching the national finals of the RHS Britain in Bloom competition, Shrewsbury has widened its horticultural net this year to include not only blooms, but fruits and vegetables to boot.
The town will be going crazy about carrots, potty about potatoes and loopy about lettuce as the Square is turned into a giant allotment ready for the judges’ visits.
The theme for the town’s Bloom entry is Incredible Edibles and builds upon the wider work of Incredible Edible Shropshire to to make better use of our accessible green spaces.
Around 20 planters have been distributed to local schools, allotment associations and community organisations for them to plant up any way they wish, as long as it fits the edible theme.
The pallets will then be relocated to the Square prior to regional judging on 23 July, transforming the site into a giant allotment display.
The planters will stay in the Square for national judging on August 5 and will remain until after the Shrewsbury Flower Show.
Shrewsbury in Bloom chairman, Jackie Brennand said: “We are so proud to have reached the national finals of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Britain in Bloom competition. We wanted to do something to really mark the occasion and the Incredible Edibles theme fits in perfectly with work that is already going on not only in Shrewsbury, but across Shropshire as a whole. We hope members of the public back our bid to be crowned national champions and look forward to seeing the allotment creations in the Square. It’s going to be an incredible summer!”
Britain in Bloom participants are visited by a team of two judges during the UK finals judging fortnight which takes place in the first two weeks of August each year.
The judges will award medals based on the score achieved. Gold is presented for ‘an exceptionally high standard demonstrated throughout.’
The results for the UK Finals are announced in the autumn.