Along with its sister campaign ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’, Britain in Bloom involves around 3,500 community groups and hundreds of thousands of local volunteers who work throughout the year to keep neighbourhoods and streets green, clean and thriving. Bloom groups compete in regional and national heats of the competition before being nominated to the RHS Britain in Bloom UK Finals.
Started by the British Tourist Authority in 1964, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) took over as organisers in 2001 and have developed the campaign to include greater focus on community participation and environmental responsibility. In 2006, the RHS launched a new grass roots level for Bloom – It’s Your Neighbourhood (IYN) – which is aimed at small volunteer groups (such as youth groups, ‘Friends of’ groups, etc.)
Managed by the RHS in partnership with 17 regions and nations, the competition covers England, Scotland, Wales and Ulster and Channel Islands. The finalists, nominated through regional arms of the competition, will compete in one of eight categories to secure an RHS gold, silver gilt, silver or bronze award. One, will subsequently be named RHS Britain in Bloom Overall Winner for 2025. Each of the finalists will be visited by a pair of judges in summer 2025, and winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in the autumn.
Judges will assess groups’ efforts against a criteria that has environmental benefit, community engagement and horticultural excellence at its core.
This year there are 13 first-time finalists, including Conwy in Bloom, Uppingham in Bloom and Torquay in Bloom with many showcasing groups’ commitment to sustainable water practices. Amongst this year’s finalists are Abergavenny in Bloom who have devised a smart system that draws on sensors that measure soil moisture levels and temperature to help conserve water and identify ideal planting conditions. Similarly, Stony Stratford in Bloom have fitted innovatively designed downpipes to polytunnels, enabling them to capture even more rainwater.
Many groups such as Middleton in Bloom and Better Bankside are also managing ‘pocket gardens’ – smaller scale growing spaces distributed across urban areas and including plots of land next to train stations and bus stops, along residential roads and in town centres.
Sarah Galvin, RHS Head of National Community Programmes, said: “Britain in Bloom is more than just a competition; it’s a celebration of the incredible impact that gardening and green spaces can have on our communities and the environment. Congratulations to our 44 finalists who are demonstrating how convening people around gardening can be a powerful tool for tackling some of the most pressing environmental and social challenges we face today.”
The full list of finalists can be found here.