Aberdeen has won gold in the prestigious Britain in Bloom competition after the awards were announced last night.
The Aberdeen Communities Together bid won the award in the ‘city’ category, beating several other well-regarded entries. Tower Hamlets Council in London won the silver award in the same category, and the overall Britain in Bloom winner was Newcastle-under-Lyme.
The bid, which included Aberdeen City Council’s environmental services and community groups across the city, were ecstatic with the win.
Aberdeen City Council In Bloom Champion Councillor Neil MacGregor said: “A huge congratulations to our environmental services staff and all the community groups involved in getting a gold for the city in the most prestigious community gardening competition in the UK.
“They have done a wonderful job of ensuring our parks and green spaces are at their best and contributing towards our beautiful city for everyone to enjoy. Volunteers in Aberdeen are vital in helping achieve all that we do in the city.
“They are delighted with the win as it shows what all their hard work and effort has amounted to and the city congratulates them for the gold.”
The Britain in Bloom judges came to Aberdeen in August, and visited all around the city including parks, a school, an allotment, and community areas after starting at the David Welsh Winter Gardens in Duthie Park.
Britain in Bloom is organised by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and is the top gardening competition for councils and other community organisations across the UK. Major winners from regional competitions including Beautiful Scotland are put forward for the UK-wide finals.
In 2020, Aberdeen was a finalist for Champion of Champions award in Britain in Bloom but the competition was cancelled due to pandemic. In 2021 and 2022, Aberdeen won gold medals in Beautiful Scotland and was also crowned Best City and Overall Joint First in 2022.
The city has won a medal in either Britain in Bloom or Beautiful Scotland every year since 2008 and has been award-winning in the competitions since 1964.
The city category was judged on its horticulture which is our amazing parks and green spaces, community involvement which is all our fantastic green partners and volunteers including Friends groups, schools, businesses, community groups and the thousands of volunteers who help us, and environmental responsibility which is the work carried out for the Council’s climate plan, carbon reduction, and other similar projects.
The full results list of winners for Britain in Bloom can be viewed at Britain in Bloom awards and results / RHS Gardening