Judges from The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) were given a tour of Gainsborough as part of East Midlands in Bloom on Tuesday 1st July.
Volunteers from Gainsborough in Bloom (GiB) presented their floral displays across the town in areas including Richmond Park, Marshall’s Yard and Hickman Hill Hotel.
The floral displays in Richmond Park featured memorial flower displays, dahlias and a boat which had been decorated with flowers. Adults from the Hastings Day Centre in Gainsborough were there to proudly showcase the community gardens they helped to plant and grow.
Anna Grieve, an employee of West Lindsey District Council and treasurer of Gainsborough in Bloom said: “I enjoy being a part of Gainsborough in Bloom and making the town look nice. We’ve got a team of volunteers who all work really hard.”
Gainsborough in Bloom Chairman, Vaughan Hughes, said the judges “seemed very happy with the tour.”
He said: “We really enjoy doing this and making the town look great. It shows that we care about our town and there are people who want to make sure it looks nice.”
Gainsborough Town Councillor and former Gainsborough Mayor, Cllr Kenneth Woolley, said they were “very proud to show it off” to the judges.
He said: “When you come into Gainsborough, you’re hit by the sight of flowers and that shows we care about our town. We always look at the reports that come in from the ‘in bloom’ judging panel and see how we can develop from the following year. Water capture and recycling are some of the best initiatives that we’ve got involved with. Within a matter of years, the town looks loads better, and it’s amazing projects like this that brings it all together.”
Talking about the floral displays in Richmond Park, Cllr Woolley emphasised the mental and physical health benefits of community spaces and parks.
He said: “There are students in the school next door doing exams at the moment and they’re under a lot of pressure, so it’s great to see them being able to come here after their exams, sitting down and just relaxing. Memories are made in a place like this, too, and that’s why we’re involved.”
The categories Gainsborough has entered are:
- Large Town (Gainsborough in Bloom)
- Best Retail Park (Marshall’s Yard)
- Best Pub/Hotel (Hickman Hill Hotel)
The results of the judging will be announced on September 24th 2025 at an awards ceremony in Grimsby.
For more information about Gainsborough in Bloom, visit: https://gainsboroughinbloom.co.uk/
