Southport in Bloom has won the Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) Britain in Bloom UK Finals Competition 2025, securing a RHS Gold, winning the Coastal category and achieving the accolade of Overall Winner. The results from the national competition run by the charity were unveiled on BBC The One Show this evening.
Having impressed Bloom judges at the regional round of the competition, 44 groups were selected to represent their regions in the Finals, competing in eight categories for a RHS award: gold, silver gilt, silver or bronze.
The Bloom judges were bowled over by Southport in Bloom’s passionate dedication to environmental improvement and community involvement as well as their outstanding horticultural accomplishments. They praised Southport’s ‘absolutely stunning’ Rotten Row, a popular attraction to the seaside town and one of the UK’s longest continuous herbaceous borders. Stretching over 3,843 square metres, Rotten Row was saved from being grassed over in 2011 by a team of 30 volunteers, who have since enhanced it with 250,000 new plants – from heritage varieties of
Rudbeckia to the striking pineapple flowers of
Eucomis.
Southport Botanic Gardens made a lasting impression on the judges, particularly as they marked their 150th anniversary this year. Ongoing efforts to enhance and evolve the gardens were commended, with special mentions going to the lovingly tended Grade II listed fernery as well as more recent developments such as a Wellness and Dementia Garden and creation of a new garden at the Town Hall. Originally planted with plants left by local people commemorating the victims of the town’s 2024 tragedy, the site has since evolved into a pink and white themed garden reflecting the colour of the ribbons left in their memory. Now, in accordance with the wishes of the families affected, the gardens will be transformed into a welcoming and family-focused space for open-air performances.
Elsewhere the judges were delighted by Southport’s ‘orchid roundabout’, which has been carefully managed with restricted mowing and as a result is now a haven for native orchids and other wildflowers. Judges also commended the inspiring efforts to involve local children and young people in gardening, notably through the Schools Garden Competition.
Darren Share, Chair of the RHS Britain in Bloom judges, said: “We are delighted to announce Southport as Overall Winner of the Britain in Bloom UK Finals 2025. In a year when community was so important, Southport have admirably demonstrated the power of gardening together. Securing Gold across all three judging categories – horticulture, environment, and community – they have made an outstanding contribution to improving their local area, benefitting residents and visitors alike.”
Other notable category winners include:
- Aberdeen Communities Together, winner of the Small City & City category. Aberdeen displayed strong community spirit, from engaging residents to get involved in restoring the city following damage caused by Storms Eowin and Floris this year, to projects helping disadvantaged people regain control of their lives. The Winter Garden was highlighted for its design and planting scheme including an extensive display of pelargoniums.
- Filby in Bloom, winner of the Village & Large Village category, demonstrated a strong focus on biodiversity, with a new wildflower meadow already home to 100 species of moths and 11 species of bats.
- Community Champion winner Annette Whitney, Head Gardener for Rockdale Housing retirement flats, has implemented various ways for residents to get involved with horticulture, including a fruit and vegetable area where they are encouraged to grow and harvest their own produce.
- Young Champion winner Olivia, aged 8, has been recognised for her enthusiasm and dedication to horticulture, having helped with the planting of a new wildflower meadow near Thornbury town centre. Judges were particularly impressed by Olivia’s skills in identifying various wildflowers.
Sarah Galvin, RHS Head of National Community Programmes, said: “We were highly impressed with the standard of entries this year, with all of the finalists having such a positive impact on their local communities. Each group showcased exceptional community spirit and a strong commitment to enhancing their local environment, demonstrating the core values of community, sustainability, and horticulture at the heart of the RHS Britain in Bloom competition.”
The winners were presented with their awards at the RHS Britain in Bloom Finals Competition 2025 awards ceremony, hosted today in Brighton by RHS judge James Alexander-Sinclair and garden designer, broadcaster, writer and RHS Ambassador, Arit Anderson.
For the full list of Britain in Bloom results, please visit:
www.rhs.org.uk/get-involved/britain-in-bloom/bloom-awards-results
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RHS Britain in Bloom 2025 – UK Final Winners
Full results (finalists listed by category and region/nation and with category winners highlighted):
| Region/Nation |
Entry |
Award |
| |
|
|
| Village & Large Village |
|
|
| Northumbria |
Cowpen Bewley Residents’ Association |
Silver Gilt |
| South East |
Eynsford in Bloom |
Gold |
| Anglia |
Filby in Bloom |
Gold and Category Winner |
| Guernsey |
Floral St. Saviour |
Gold |
| Small Town |
|
|
| Wales |
Conwy in Bloom |
Silver Gilt |
| North West |
Garstang in Bloom |
Gold and Category Winner |
| South West |
Kingsbridge in Bloom |
Gold |
| Yorkshire |
Rawdon in Bloom |
Silver Gilt |
| Thames & Chilterns |
Stony Stratford in Bloom |
Gold |
| East Midlands |
Uppingham in Bloom |
Gold |
| South |
Whitchurch in Bloom |
Gold |
| |
|
|
| Town |
|
|
| Wales |
Abergavenny in Bloom |
Gold |
| Northumbria |
Alnwick |
Gold |
| Thames & Chilterns |
Amersham in Bloom |
Gold and Category Winner |
| London |
Bankside Open Spaces Trust, Better Bankside, Southwark Council |
Silver Gilt |
| Anglia |
Brandon in Bloom CIC |
Gold |
| Ulster |
Donaghadee |
Gold |
| Large Town |
|
|
| Anglia |
Bury in Bloom |
Gold |
| Ulster |
Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council |
Silver Gilt |
| North West |
Congleton in Bloom |
Gold |
| Keep Scotland Beautiful |
Let’s get Grangemouth clean Glitter Team |
Gold and Category Winner |
| Yorkshire |
Mirfield in Bloom |
Silver Gilt |
| Heart of England |
Oswestry in Bloom |
Gold |
| South West |
Thornbury in Bloom |
Gold |
| Cumbria |
Workington in Bloom |
Silver |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Small City & City |
|
|
| Keep Scotland Beautiful |
Aberdeen Communities Together |
Gold and Category Winner |
| North West |
Chorley in Bloom |
Gold |
| Ulster |
Derry City |
Gold |
| Yorkshire |
Harrogate in Bloom |
Gold |
| London |
London Borough of Tower Hamlets |
Gold |
| South East |
Royal Tunbridge Wells in Bloom |
Gold |
| Heart of England |
Shrewsbury in Bloom |
Gold |
| South West |
Torquay in Bloom Partnership |
Gold |
| Coastal |
|
|
| Wales |
Llandudno in Bloom |
Gold |
| North West |
Southport in Bloom |
Gold, Category Winner and Overall Winner |
| Jersey |
St. Clement’s Parish in Bloom |
Gold |
| Cumbria |
Whitehaven in Bloom |
Silver Gilt |
| BIDs |
|
|
| South West |
Bath BID in Bloom |
Gold and Category Winner |
| Heart of England |
Newcastle-under-Lyme BID |
Silver Gilt |
| London |
Purley in Bloom |
Silver |
| Town Centres & City Centres |
|
|
| Northumbria |
Darlington |
Gold |
| Keep Scotland Beautiful |
Growing Kirkcaldy |
Gold |
| North West |
Middleton in Bloom Town Centre |
Gold and Category Winner |
| South East |
Sevenoaks in Bloom |
Gold |
| Overall Winner |
|
|
| North West |
Southport in Bloom |
Overall Winner |
Judges’ Highlights
This year, each of the Britain in Bloom UK Finals judging pairs selected a group from their judging category to shine a spotlight on and celebrate.
Village & Large Village category: Cowpen Bewley Residents' Association, Northumbria – for increasing local wildlife populations and biodiversity
Small Town category: Stony Stratford in Bloom, Thames & Chilterns – for establishing a Heritage Fruit Tree Orchard
Town category: Amersham in Bloom, Thames & Chilterns – for flourishing community engagement
Large Town category: Let’s get Grangemouth clean Glitter Team, Keep Scotland Beautiful – for amazing community spirit
Small City & City category: London Borough of Tower Hamlets, London – for inspirational ‘Grow & Ecology’ project, Rocky Park Urban Growers, Bethnal Green Ecology Garden and Nature Reserve
Coastal category: Southport in Bloom, North West – for fabulous volunteer work and asset transfer
Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) category: Newcastle-under-Lyme BID, Heart of England – for exemplary arts engagement
Town Centres & City Centres category: Sevenoaks in Bloom, South East – for Rockdale Village and important partnership work for delivering Bloom activities
Britain in Bloom with the RHS Community Champion Award Winners
- Adrian Thompson - Filby in Bloom, Anglia
- Christine Jones – Llandudno in Bloom, Wales
- Rachel Sobiechowski – Brandon in Bloom CIC, Anglia
- Tony Sansum – Thornbury in Bloom, South West
- Iris Smith – Chorley in Bloom, North West
- Gill Broughton – Chorley in Bloom, North West
- Evie Roberts – Conwy in Bloom, Wales
- Annette Whitney – Sevenoaks in Bloom, South East
Britain in Bloom with the RHS Young Champion Award Winners
- Olivia – Thornbury in Bloom, South West
- Willow – Sevenoaks in Bloom, South East
- Bonnie – Sevenoaks in Bloom, South East
RHS Community Awards 2025
| RHS Community Engagement Award winner |
Yourspace Sutton
(London: Regional/IYN) |
| RHS Gardening with Young People Award winner |
Trawden Forest Primary School
(North West: Regional/IYN) |
| RHS Gardening for Health and Wellbeing Award winner |
Erlas Victorian Walled Garden
(Wales: IYN) |
| RHS Sustainable Gardening Award winner |
Transition Town Wellington
(South West: IYN) |
| RHS Gardening for Wildlife Award winner |
Blackburns Farm Nurseries and Wildlife Centre
(North West: IYN) |
