BUDDING botanists planted the seeds of success thanks to an inspirational talk by famous gardening presenter James Wong at the Rugby in Bloom Awards.
James, star of the BBC’s Grow Your Own Drugs and the Great British Garden Revival, was the guest of honour at the annual awards.
Groups competed in a number of categories – including best organic vegetable plot, best allotment and best small garden.
First prize in the pubs and hotels category went to the Blue Pig in Wolvey, while Rugby Bodyshoppe, on Butlers Leap, won first prize in the industrial category.
Rimo Growers, in Medda Place, won the garden centres and florists category, while Wolvey Surgery chalked up another success for the village in the shops and offices category.
In the community awards, Wolston War Memorial Gardens, Rugby Baptist Church, St Botolph Church and Brooke Court Residents all received gold awards, while Caldecott Park Bowling Club was named the overall winner of the category.
Rugby High School pupil Millie Race was presented with the Young Environmentalist Award and Frankie Ward, a pupil at Dunchurch Junior School, won the Jeffrey Bernhard Young Gardener of the Year Award.
Lisa Parker, Rugby Borough Councillor for sustainable environment, said: “Rugby in Bloom brings our communities together to help make the borough a brighter, better place.
“We had a bumper crop of entries to this year’s contest and the standard was exceptional, a real tribute to everyone who took part.
“With Rugby winning overall gold in the Heart of England in Bloom Awards, and with it a place in next year’s national Britain in Bloom final, we’ve ensured the borough’s had a blooming marvellous year.”
