Sue shares this latest news. Ed
Green-fingered Islanders came together at an afternoon tea party-style ceremony, held at Northwood House yesterday, to find out how their horticultural and floral displays had been judged in this year’s Wight in Bloom competition.
Sponsored and managed for the past three years by Visit Isle of Wight (VIOW) together with event sponsor Red Funnel Ferries, Wight in Bloom is open to all Island residents and organisations with the aim to make the Island a brighter, greener place to live and visit.
Presented by Alan Titchmarsh
The awards were presented by the celebrity gardener and TV presenter Alan Titchmarsh, MBE VMH DL, Patron of Wight in Bloom.
Judges visited Island gardens earlier this summer to rate the Island’s gardening projects. Entries were shortlisted for one of 11 awards and judged by a team of volunteers that included Island horticultural businesses.
Prizes for all winners
Winners in each category received certificates, gardening vouchers and tools, sponsored by local garden centres – Forest View and Honnor & Jeffrey – in recognition of the skill and pride they displayed in their gardens and neighbourhoods. Each category winner also received a goody bag with top-of-the-range products from Liz Earle.
In addition to the category winners, there was an overall winner of The Peggy Jarman Trophy, selected by a team of judges from the winners of all the 11 categories.
131 entrants were received this year, including small and large front gardens, schools, community groups, commercial properties and tourism businesses. The results announced at the prestigious awards ceremony were “blooming” marvellous in each of the 11 categories:
Winners of Wight in Bloom 2017
Category 1 – Best Small Front Garden
Sponsor – Liz Earle and Forest View Garden Centre
1st Sandy Crump, Newport
2nd Linda Ryan (Posthumous), Sandown
Highly Commended Gill Evans, Wroxall
Category 2 – Best Large Front Garden
Sponsor – Liz Earle and Forest View Garden Centre
1st Terry Richards, Brighstone
2nd Oscar Stretch, Sandown
Highly Commended Jo Hardy-Bishop, Shanklin
Category 3 – Best Commercial Garden
Sponsor – Liz Earle and Forest View Garden Centre
1st Haven Hall, Shanklin
2nd (Joint) The Carlton Hotel, Shanklin
2nd (Joint) The Fighting Cocks, Arreton
Highly Commended The Royal Hotel, Ventnor
Category 4 – Best Senior Citizen Complex
Sponsor – Liz Earle and Forest View Garden Centre
1st Orchard House Care Centre, Newport
2nd Knights Court, Ventnor
Highly Commended Furze Brake, Newport
Category 5 – Young People Initiative
Sponsor – Liz Earle, Honnor and Jeffrey Garden Centre, RHS Campaign for School Gardening
1st Arreton St George’s Primary School
2nd Niton Primary School
Highly Commended Haylands Primary School, Ryde
Highly Commended The Bay CE Primary School, Sandown
Category 6 – Best Community Floral Project
Sponsor – Liz Earle and Forest View Garden Centre
1st Northwood House, Cowes
2nd Shanklin Theatre
Highly Commended Aspire Ryde
Special Achievement Award HMP Parkhurst
Certificate of Commendation Care in the Garden
Category 7 – Best Small Tourist Attraction
Sponsor – Liz Earle and Forest View Garden Centre
1st Princess Beatrice Garden, Carisbrooke Castle – English Heritage
2nd Rylstone Tea Gardens, Shanklin
Highly Commended The Garlic Farm, Newchurch
Highly Commended The Old Smithy, Godshill
Category 8 – Best Large Tourist Attraction Garden
Sponsor – Liz Earle and Forest View Garden Centre
1st Osborne – English Heritage
2nd Mottistone Gardens
Highly Commended Robin Hill Country Park
Category 9 – Best Creative Use of a Small Space
Sponsor – Liz Earle and Forest View Garden Centre
1st Mrs S Poulton, Whippingham
2nd Mr & Mrs Smith, Newport
Highly Commended Richard Ridley, Shanklin
Category 10 – Best Water Feature
Sponsor – Liz Earle and Forest View Garden Centre
1st P Blow, Newport
2nd D. Clare, Shanklin
Highly Commended Key Stage Group 3, St Georges School, Newport
Category 11 – Best Edible Garden
Sponsor – Liz Earle and Forest View Garden Centre
1st Pam Toms, Northwood
2nd Andy and Sue Garner, Seaview
Highly Commended Key Stage Group 6, St Georges School, Newport
Special Recognition Award Haddon Lake House, St Lawrence
Overall Winner of The Peggy Jarman Trophy: English Heritage – Osborne, East Cowes
Living up to ‘The Garden Isle’ name
Alan Titchmarsh MBE, VMH DL, said:
“The Isle of Wight continues to live up to its name as ‘The Garden Isle’ and I’m delighted to present the awards that acknowledge the tremendous achievements of the Island’s gardeners – both private and public.”
Helped Island gardens look at their best
Simon Dabell, Chairman, Visit Isle of Wight, who welcomed guests to the awards ceremony, said:
“One of the aims of the Wight BID (Business Improvement District) is to deliver a holiday experience which encourages first-time visitors to return. With so many high-quality entries in this competition, and with the enthusiastic help from our sponsors, I am sure that this has helped Island gardens look at their best.
“We recognise that the landscapes and gardens across the Island are important to our visitors’ enjoyment of their holidays and this competition helps to remind us all that we are a Garden Isle.”
Kevin George, Chief Executive, Red Funnel, said
“We are delighted to be the title sponsor of Wight in Bloom and would like to congratulate the winners and thank everyone who has entered. The standard was once again really high and it is particularly pleasing to see so many entries from schools and community projects which have helped the Island look its best this summer.”
