Rugby bags silver in Britain in Bloom final

The award, announced at a ceremony held on October 25, comes after Rugby's huge success in the Heart of England in Bloom Awards last month - in which it won gold for the 12th year in a row.

Darren Share, Chair of the RHS Britain in Bloom judges, said: “Congratulations to all of this year’s UK finalists.

"It’s incredibly humbling to hear about the huge efforts they’ve invested in making our villages, towns and cities greener places to live, work and visit.

“This makes a tremendous difference locally but has a wider impact too. Gardeners are increasingly having to respond to the changing climate, declining pollinator numbers and plastic waste and more communities are galvanizing people around these issues to bring about positive change.”

During the Heart of England in Bloom phase of the competition, judges were taken on a tour of Rugby in July, visiting the town's premier parks, including Caldecott Park and Centenary Park, and the floral displays in the town centre.

The tour also included a stop at Ashlawn Cutting on the Great Central Way, where judges met volunteers from Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, and visits to Brownsover Community School, Rainsbrook Crematorium and Rugby School.

The judges praised Rugby for reflecting the core values of In Bloom, saying: "The continued level of engagement across Rugby's diverse community, both young and old, is outstanding."

The full results for RHS Britain in Bloom 2019 can be found at: www.rhs.org.uk/bloomawardsresults