Dartmouth is a blooming national champion after clocking up the best results in the prestigious Britain in Bloom championships in more than three decades.

This week the town was celebrating after it walked off with a gold award, as it was told its floral displays were some of the best in the country.

On top of that it came joint first in the national awards for seaside towns with a population of less than 12,000 – sharing the honours with Aberdour in Scotland.

Also bloom team chairman Stevie Rogers was singled out for a personal award after she was declared a community champion by the Royal Horticultural Society for her work in driving the town's huge community floral effort forward.

Earlier this year Dartmouth came away from the regional finals with a fistful of south west awards.

But the latest national triumphs mean that the town had achieved its best results in the 34 years it has been part of the Britain in Bloom efforts.

Dartmouth was also given a special commendation in the young peoples' awards for the way youngsters supported the town effort.

Dartmouth was shortlisted in the national nominations for its Edible Britain displays which included a special mention for the Herbie the boat display beside the Boat Float – which put it in the top five nationally.

Similarly Dartmouth's Royal Avenue Gardens was shortlisted in the nominations for the best public park in the country – which put it in the same running as huge corporations, with bigger spending power, such as Bath and Birmingham.

And it was also shortlisted for the nominations for the RHS environmental responsibility award.

Stevie Rogers was among the five-strong Dartmouth bloom team who travelled to Cleethorpes to hear the results announced on Sunday.

Stevie said afterwards: 'I was a bit overwhelmed by it all. I think we have done incredibly well as a town. It's amazing really.'

She said that the best public park award eventually went to Bath – a town which boasts a 109-strong bloom team.

Stevie pointed out that the Bath team had complained because their bloom budget had been cut by £70,000 this year while the Dartmouth team managed on an entire budget of less than £7,000.

'That is the scale of what we have managed this year.

'I don't think the town yet realises what we were up against not just in our category but in the other awards in which we were nominated.

'We were in the top five competing against huge towns like Bath, Bristol, Edinburgh and Birmingham.'

Talking about her personal award she said she had been embarrassed and added: 'I was taken aback. It really is a team effort. I was amazed that I got the award and am very proud to get it.'

An RHS judge explained Dartmouth's triumph saying: 'Dartmouth is an historic tourist destination on the south Devon coast, famous for being the home of the Britannia Royal Naval College, and for floods of hanging baskets around the old town. What is notable now, however, is that the history and colour is being tempered by environmental concern and enormous commitment to community involvement - but without any discernible loss of colour or impact.

'Exceptional new planting schemes – with use of rare and tender perennials; outstanding use of edibles in public places; a community orchard managed for wildlife – are all present but all tied together with the aim to achieve Dartmouth Green Partnerships in action.

'A gold standard town.'

And the judges said of Stevie in declaring her a champion: 'Stevie Rogers, chairman of Dartmouth in Bloom, is a true professional who clearly understands what it takes to make Dartmouth a successful location for its residents businesses and visitors alike.

'Her dedication, knowledge and ability to make this process work is incredible. Stevie is clearly a leader, motivator and enthusiast; she feels strongly about the town and its environment and has been able to harness a team who is committed to doing something to improve the area for all by leading by example.

'She has the expertise and skills that makes Dartmouth an attractive and exciting place for its residents and visitors alike and encourages young and old to take on that responsibility.

'The many different aspects she spearheads include the Community Greenhouse management plan, links with the Royal Naval College and Britannia Wood, the Community Orchard, the Brownies and all five schools in the town.'

As for the town's young peoples' involvement in this year's effort, the judged declared: 'The enthusiasm from all is infectious, and this was particularly seen at the high-profile Boatfloat area where every basket had been planted by one of the youngsters.'

They highlighted the involvement of the town's Brownies and young Jack Rendle who became an 'honorary' Brownie on the day the youngsters planted out the hanging baskets around the Boatfloat.

The judges said their efforts 'must be highlighted in this regard –with their awareness of the names of the plants that they had used in their baskets superb'.

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