Bloom judges treated to flower-powered tour of the town

The judges visited Rugby on Tuesday (5 July) and toured a number of the town's horticultural highlights, including Caldecott Park, Rugby School and the Great Central Way nature reserve.

The tour also included a visit to Brownsover Community School, where green-fingered pupils have grown floral tributes for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in the school gardens, together with artworks created from recycled materials.

The Platinum Jubilee was the theme for this year's Rugby in Bloom, which encourages residents, schools, businesses and community organisations to support the borough's bid to look its blooming best every summer.

In addition to the floral displays to celebrate the Queen's historic 70-year reign, the Heart of England in Bloom judges visited a number of examples of the council's work to boost biodiversity and enhance the borough's natural environment.

On the Great Central Way, the judges saw the fruits of the council's partnership with the Rotary Club of Rugby, Rugby Wildlife Group and Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, which has created a thriving wildlife habitat and a place for education and recreation.

The judges also learned about the council's Park Connector Network, which aims to improve access to open spaces and create a series of 'green' travel corridors to encourage walking and cycling.

Since 2020, the council has laid more than 4,500 metres of new or improved pathways for the network, illuminated by the installation of around 1,000 eco-friendly, solar-powered lights. 

Cllr Howard Roberts, Rugby Borough Council portfolio holder for leisure and wellbeing, paid tribute to the hard work of the council's parks and grounds team, volunteers, businesses and community organisations - and the support of sponsors - to make the borough bloom.

"Rugby has a proud track record of success in Heart of England in Bloom and our entry celebrates both the quality of the borough's parks and open spaces, and our ongoing work to protect and enhance the natural environment," Cllr Roberts said.

"It's a real community effort which requires a year-round commitment to making Rugby a better, brighter place to live, and we can all be proud of this year's entry."

Heart of England in Bloom, part of the Royal Horticultural Society's Britain in Bloom campaign, encourages communities to transform the environment through gardening.

Sutton Coldfield hosts this year's award ceremony in September.