The Borough in Bloom
Nonsuch Park is participating in South and South East In Bloom for the first time since 2019.
While we’ve entered the award several times before, this year felt like a real celebration of the partnership between all those involved in the care of the Park. The passion and dedication of Nonsuch Voles, Friends of Nonsuch, stakeholders and council staff has come through loud and clear.
Since 2019, there have been many improvements and future plans including:
- Maintenance of the parkland
- Cleanliness of the site
- Repairs to the greenhouse wall and gardener’s bothy
- Carefully considered planting schemes
- The new habitat management plan, the renovation of the round pond and the commitment to managing our parkland to increase biodiversity
- Plans for virtual garden tours and the launch of the council’s Arts, Culture and Heritage Strategy
- The use of the gardens for the council’s walk and talk events
- And much more.
On Monday 3 July, a judge from South and South East In Bloom visited Nonsuch Park. The judge appeared suitably impressed and offered free additional entry into the Large Conservation Area category of the award scheme, as well as the Formal Gardens category.
We won’t know the outcome of the judging until September, however we are confident that we will hold our own in a very tough category (Heritage Parks), which is usually populated with paid to enter facilities such Arundel Castle.
Ewell Village has entered Britain in Bloom’s Large Village category. We are lucky to be supported by Councillor Christine Cleveland and volunteers from the U3A (University of the Third Age) who look after the Gertrude Longhurst Memorial Garden and the newly formed Friends of Bourne Hall Gardening Group. Several retailers and residents got involved in the judging by sprucing up their shop fronts and front gardens, and Lower Mill Apartments have been growing plants for Gertie’s Garden.
Epsom competes in Britain in Bloom’s BID area category and we are pleased to support our local Business Improvement District (BID), with this entry.
The judges were taken to see the Lidl Living Wall and the secret train station which is hidden behind the shop fronts in Upper High Street. The judges loved this! The judges were also impressed by the upkeep of Rosebery Park, particularly the pond and the large and varied selection of trees. They made particular note of the new trees which are a collaboration between the council’s Tree Officer and the local Tree Advisory Board.
