Four local gardens have attained an outstanding rating during this year’s Britain in Bloom festival; the Thomas Blake Memorial Garden, the Ross-on-Wye Community Garden, the Ryefield Children’s Garden, and the garden of Ross Court Care Home.

This year, it was a double celebration for the volunteers at the Thomas Blake Memorial Garden, they were not only awarded an outstanding rating, but also a IYN Merit; in 2006, the RHS introduced the In Your Neighbourhood (IYN) awards, which supports smaller, volunteer-led community groups focused on improving their immediate environment.

The group at the Ross Community Garden are thrilled to be celebrating their second consecutive outstanding rating; Tim Shelley, from the garden, explained that a lot of work has gone into maintaining the high grade.

The Ryefield Children’s Garden, is a relatively new addition to the Children’s Centre; it formally opened in July, but their outstanding rating shows the garden has quickly become a wonderful asset to the centre.

The garden at Ross Court Care Home is another example of a garden that has maintained an exceptionally high standard, having also attained an outstanding award during previous years of Britain in Bloom.

To read this story in full, and for lots more pictures, see this week’s edition of the Ross Gazette.