Flower-loving town in Milton Keynes prepares for Britain in Bloom contest

Stony Stratford in Bloom (SSIB) volunteers have been working "crazily hard” to make the town the town look beautiful for the contest’s judges this week.

As a result, the streets were a blaze of colour when the judges arrived on Monday.

"Groups and individuals were out and about weeding, dead-heading, watering, picking up litter, washing the street furniture, polishing the planters ,” said SSIB chair Judy Deveson.

“On the morning of judging day yellow hi-viz jackets could be seen scouring the streets for cigarette butts, crisp packets and stray weeds we’d missed,” she said.

The town is now awaiting the results of the judging, but it already amassed no less than eight Gold Awards over the years of entering the contest.

Last year it was awarded ‘Outstanding’ by the RHS in the Britain in Bloom National Finals for the ‘Nourishing the Community’ section.

This marked the volunteers’ efforts during the Covid crisis, when they sprang into action to grow vegetables and fruit in the York House Community Gardens and then deliver them to the King's Foodbank in Wolverton to help feed hungry families.

SSIB encourages young people to learn about the environment and the joys of gardening with school gardening sessions and children’s planting activities at community events each year.

They fundraise through plant sales, an annual fund-raising meal at Calcutta Brasserie and selling greetings cards and jams at the town’s Christmas lights switch-on event, as well as sponsorship and donations.

Since 2008 the volunteers have created more than forty flower beds and gardens in all parts of the parish, and they maintain them through twice-weekly work parties.

They also plant up and maintain the planters around the town, changing the plants from winter to summer to ensure the streets are cheerful and attractive throughout the year.

Monday’s judging tour started with the whirls of colour in the Library bed and Exotic bed followed by a stroll down Church Street past the beautiful church gardens, which are are planted and maintained by church volunteers Hazel and Graham.

In the High Street, judges were able to the see magnificent Stony Business Association hanging baskets and Jubilee bunting, as well as the town council’s planters and baskets - containing red, white and pink geraniums and deep blue lobelia.

At St Mary and St Giles School, the pupils - who are enthusiastic gardeners - showed judges all the vegetables they’ve been growing and the winning garden designs for the Spirituality Garden that were created by Fleur Shaw and Ave Hardwick.

Other stopping point included Mary Robinson’s tranquil North End pond and wildlife area, the Dragon Fly Pond in the nature reserve, the war memorial beds, which are planted and maintained by local residents, the Four Seasons Garden on Calverton Augustus Rd, and the Fullers Slade flower beds maintained by SSIB and the Fullers Slade It’s Your Neighbourhood Group.

The ended with the magnificent multi-coloured show of hollyhocks at York House Community Gardens.

“We won’t know the results till September 28th, but we think the judges were impressed, and we feel the town looks lovely – and we’ve very much appreciated the fact that residents have told us that they think so too,” said Judy.