Britain in Bloom pay visit

Aug 12 2008 by Our Correspondent, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

PERTH yesterday pulled out all the stops to retain its 2006 winning crown, when judges from the Royal Horticultural Society’s Britain in Bloom competition visited the Fair City.

Mark Wasilewski, the Britain in Bloom vice-chairman, and fellow Royal Horticultural Society judge Jim Goodwin, spent more than three hours listening to presentations, visiting key projects and meeting members of the community who have contributed to the “beautiful Perth” entry.

Speaking yesterday, chairman of “beautiful Perth”, Euna Scott said: “The judges, who are first time judges for Perth will, unfortunately, clearly see the amount of rain damage we have suffered in recent weeks.

“However, like any competition, the risk of poor weather spoiling some of the more vulnerable sections, has to be fully compensated by highlighting other areas of the judging criteria not so weather dependant.”

Perth represents Scotland in the category with the largest number of finalists in the 2008 “Britain in Bloom” competition – Small City/Large town. Other finalists are St Helier, Kendal, Buxton, Douglas, Coleraine, Whickham, Bicester and Caerphilly who will all be challenging for the main prize.

Yesterday afternoon, the same two judges scrutinised Scotlandwell, in the Small Village Category.

The results will be announced on September 24 at an award ceremony hosted by the City of Chester.