After a week of torrential rainfall, the skies cleared as the national RHS In Bloom judges visited Wilmslow last week in warm sunshine.
Wilmslow is only one of six large towns in the UK to reach the national finals and the judges were keen to stress that this now represents a much more stringent and competitive view of the town's achievement.
As a national finalist, Wilmslow has to reach very strict criteria of performance not only on the planting in the town but also on community involvement and our demonstration of environmental responsibility
Ruth Menlove, Chair of Wilmslow In Bloom said "We face not only the greater expectation of participation in the national competition but with the added weight of new judging criteria. This places more emphasis on plant quality and maintenance together with an acknowledgement of heritage and environmental responsibility. A new theme introduced by the RHS only last March of 'Wise ways with water' although in tune with our own ways of development isn't one which we can demonstrate easily."
The Judges were taken around a similar route to that which was followed by the regional judges last month although, as Helen Yates observed "The weather forecasts were so unpredictable that we judged it prudent to end our tour at the leisure centre cricket pitch on which, should it have been necessary, we could have dodged indoors to avoid a downpour. In the end, our worries proved unfounded and we were able to introduce RHS Judges, Rae and Dale, to a broad circle of In Bloom volunteers on the pitch."
Dale Hector thanked diners and said what an enjoyable visit he and his fellow judge, Rae Beckwith, had encountered in their first ever visit to Wilmslow.
Results will be declared on the evening of Friday, 25th October.
Comments
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Each entry is given 10 areas of assessment - four relating to plants and planting, three to community involvement and the final three to environmental activities. Each of the ten sections carries ten marks. If we can achieve 85 marks in total across the 10 sections, we will be awarded a Gold. The same applies to the other 5 towns. Theoretically all six towns could be awarded 'Gold'.
However, the margin for error is very tight and marks will be deducted for weeds, plant 'distress', graffiti, litter and other social blights. I must congratulate the town councillors, the clean team and other volunteer groups who have relentlessly addressed these issues to help make Wilmslow look the best it can be.
We now have to wait until 25 October for the Judges' verdict. We'll tweet the result from the awards dinner. In the meantime very many thanks to everyone who has contributed to the colourful displays in and around the town.