Town prepares for Cumbria in Bloom judging

Town prepares for Cumbria in Bloom judging

The recent dry spell couldn’t end too soon for the staff and volunteers preparing Kendal for the visiting judges from Cumbria in Bloom on Thursday 13 July. ‘We’ve had some serious challenges this year, but some of our displays are looking fantastic, now the rain has come to assist in the watering’, explained committee vice chair Cllr Richard Sutton. This year’s judging has extra resonance as the town was picked last year to represent Cumbria in the national Britain in Bloom competition, which takes place in early August.

Winter vehicle damage to the Birdcage, at the top of the town’s busy Finkle Street, can’t take away from the blooming marvel of the canopy’s hanging basket display, but these days In Bloom is about far more than showy flowers. Cumbria in Bloom Judges will see the sustainable garden developed at the historic Unitarian Chapel off Branthwaite Brow, and the first season bloom of wildflower planting on Kendal Green. A new display of perennials was planted at Kirkland to celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty Charles III, and green fingers will be to the fore at Wattsfield allotments.

In the town’s iconic Fellside quarter, judges will visit the idyllic Subscription Bowling Club, a recreation of a Victorian fern garden, and community planting projects at the Triangle and Noble’s Rest.

A spokesperson for the Town Council said, ‘with the flood scheme works dominating the riverside scene, it’s easy to forget what a lovely town we live in. We hope to show that we are taking the challenges of sustainability seriously, as well as making our future town a beautiful place to live, work and visit’.