Bristol in Bloom 2012

Bristol will be in the spotlight this summer, for all the best reasons – for now is the chance for the city to once again show off its outstanding cityscape and environmental credentials. This year, Bristol will be looking to retain its impressive floral, environmental and community awards and accolades won in the regional and national Britain in Bloom competitions. And for the first time, Bristol is aiming to win the prestigious European glittering prize – the Entente Florale.

“We are ready to welcome the judges and jury members,” says Councillor Gary Hopkins, Bristol’s executive member for environment and community safety. “Our preparations have involved months of planning and hard work with our partners, local communities, businesses, schools and neighbourhoods.

“We have built on our previous successes, including our strong relationships with local people and gone that extra mile to ensure our city environment, including our streets, natural heritage, parks, water quality, energy use, recycling targets and neighbourhood partnerships all showcase the city as an amazing place to live, work and visit.”

The Bristol in Bloom, South West in Bloom, Britain in Bloom and Entente Florale competitions are not just about decorative hanging baskets and themed floral displays. Judges are looking for real improvements that make a positive impact to the local environment, from street cleansing and waste management to implementing sustainable projects that underpin community pride of place, and from community-run allotments and horticultural planting to promoting green roofs on new buildings and initiatives to further support ecologically-sensitive habitats for pollinating insects.

Natural planting of window boxes, front gardens, road verges, community parks, shops, businesses and roundabouts all have their part to play in Bristol’s 2012 entry – as does the regular cleaning of public spaces, city centre spaces, removal of graffiti tags and the recycling of waste from on-street litter bins.

Chairman of the Bristol in Bloom Community Association, Mike Crook, added: “This will be an amazing year for Bristol. Everyone involved is very excited and determined to do their best to retain the hard-won silverware of which we are very proud. Add to that our enthusiasm to impress the European judges in the Entente Florale and you have all the ingredients for a fantastic – if somewhat busy- summer ahead.

“I’m looking forward to taking the judges around the city and introducing them to representatives from the many businesses, communities and neighbourhoods who have been working together with the city council and other partners to showcase the city. I’m sure they will be impressed.”

New for this year, Bristol has planted herbs and vegetables in city centre spaces to complement traditional floral displays. Anyone looking closely at planting displays with find parsley, fennel, celery, lettuces, ornamental purple maize, mint and sage. In addition, those with a keen sense of colour will notice that planting for 2012 has taken on an Olympic theme, with blocks of single colour plants in bloom to reflect the Olympic rings.

· The Britain in Bloom judges will be in Bristol on Thursday, July 12 and the Entente Florale jury members will visit the city on Tuesday, July 31.