THE South West’s community gardeners took home more top prizes than any other region at the Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) annual Britain in Bloom awards ceremony in Belfast recently, with a group from Clovelly picking up a prize.

Seven finalists were chosen to fly the flag for the region following success in the South West in Bloom competition the previous year. A total of 76 groups from across the UK competed in 12 categories with each also vying for a gold, silver gilt, silver or bronze medal.

Six of the seven South West finalists also scooped gold medals, the highest of any competing UK region, including Clovelly.

Clovelly won the village category and was awarded gold.

Finalists are judged on their horticultural achievement, community participation and environmental responsibility, with the RHS judges visiting communities from the end of July after months of hot and dry weather.

Darren Share, chair of the RHS Britain in Bloom judges, said: “This year’s finalists faced the most challenging conditions the competition has ever seen with much of the country under snow and ice at the start of spring, followed by the joint-hottest summer on record.

“That so many groups have walked away with top medals is remarkable and a reflection of communities’ hard work, ingenuity and horticultural know-how.”

The South West finalists collected their awards from Chris Bavin, presenter of BBC Two’s Britain in Bloom TV series, and guest speaker at the awards ceremony.

The full results for RHS Britain in Bloom 2018 are available at www.rhs.org.uk/bloomawards2018