Southport showcased its splendour as Royal Horticultural Society National Britain In Bloom judges were welcomed to the town by Sefton Mayor Cllr June Burns.
Southport is competing for the best coastal site award against Llandudno, Whitehaven and St Clements in the Channel Islands.
Led by Green Sefton’s John Dempsey and Green Sefton Service Manager Mark Shaw, the visit began at the Town Hall Gardens, which now boasts vibrant planters.
The planters were built by Natural Alternatives and Bootle Toolshed, but they were planted up and tended by the Lord Street in Bloom volunteer group.
The judges were told about the plans to transform the area into a new community space supported by a £10 million funding package from Sefton Council, the Liverpool City Region and central government.
Next on the itinerary was the famous Rotten Row, home to the country’s longest continuous herbaceous border.
The judges were then treated to an example of Southport’s natural heritage at the Queen’s Jubilee Nature Trail. Here, conservation management of the protected coastline results in a dazzling array of wild flora. And it provides vital links with protected sites along the coast which shelter some of the country’s scarcest species such as rare orchids, Natterjack Toads and Sand Lizards
Then it was on to Southport’s picturesque King’s Gardens and Marine Lake before arriving at the historic Hesketh Park. Opened in 1868, this Grade II listed park is enjoying a renaissance through a legacy donation that has helped rejuvenate key features. The Sensory Garden is now a vibrant sanctuary thanks to volunteers, school groups and council teams.
The final stop was Southport’s other historic gem—Botanic Gardens in Churchtown. Opened in 1875, the gardens are lovingly maintained by the Botanic Gardens Community Association, who devote countless hours to keeping the grounds resplendent.
After the visit, Sefton Mayor Cllr June Burns said:
“It was a pleasure to welcome the Britain in Bloom judges to Southport today and a delight to be able to show them just how splendid the town looks thanks to our own Green Sefton team, but also sterling work of the many volunteers who put in so much time and effort.
“The judges experienced a day of horticultural highlights including two listed heritage parks, the longest continuous herbaceous border in the country and the longest continuous stretch of sand dune habitat in England that some of our rarest plants and animals call home.
“And I am confident that they left Southport today with memories of a beautiful town that, despite recent tragic events, remains outstanding thanks to the remarkable collaboration between Sefton Council and the community.”
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