The floral goldrush is blooming spectacular at Corsham and Trowbridge (From Wiltshire Times)

The floral goldrush is blooming spectacular at Corsham and Trowbridge

7:00pm Sunday 30th September 2012 in Wiltshire By Craig Jones

Trowbridge and Corsham are celebrating success in South West in Bloom, with both winning gold.

Corsham also won the Sargent Cup for the first time, after finishing highest in the small town category.

Committees from the towns have worked hard all year to ensure their entries were blooming marvellous.

Chair of Trowbridge in Bloom, Jennifer Polledri, said: “Winning a gold award for a second year is a great accolade, especially as Trowbridge finds itself competing against other large towns such as Exmouth, Portishead and Newquay.

“Trowbridge is a town with a great community spirit and people who really care about each other, which can now look forward to a brighter future. Trowbridge in Bloom is rapidly expanding into different areas of the community, forming new partnerships and strengthening links with education.”

Committee members celebrated their triumph during a presentation at the town’s civic centre on Tuesday.

Corsham’s achievements mark continued progress in the contest, in which they won silver in 2009, silver gilt in 2010 and gold last year.

Corsham in Bloom chairman, town councillor Ruth Hopkinson, said: “We’ve made great progress during a year which has been very difficult for horticulture.”

Corsham’s entry commemorated the Diamond Jubilee, and the Olympic and Para-lympic Games, with the town taken over by floral Olympic Torches and hanging baskets.

Cllr Hopkinson said the success was a great way to finish a week which started with Paralympic swimmer Stephanie Millward holding a homecoming event where she showed off her four silver medals and one bronze.

She said: “I think what swung winning the cup for us this year was the involvement of our local community as the judges seemed really impressed by our engagement with the schools and traders.”

As part of the competition, Corsham also won 11 neighbourhood awards. An awards ceremony for the Corsham team will be held in the Town Hall at 7pm on Thursday, October 4.

Earlier this month, Hilper-ton won Wiltshire’s Best Kept Village Competition with Box second and Bowerhill finishing equal third with Burbage.