Anglia in Bloom Competition 2023
The Judges from the Anglia in Bloom are back for 2023 to view the beautiful flower arrangements on display throughout Welwyn Hatfield.
Judges have been touring the area; visiting a multitude of different locations over Welwyn Garden City and further onto Welwyn.
The visit began on the 17 June, starting in Howardsgate and Parkway, then onto the other picturesque locations around Welwyn Garden City including the Anniversary Gardens.
Then on the 18 June, the two Judges along with members of the Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council visited the Danesbury Fernery, a wonderfully landscaped and historic parkland, located within the fields of Welwyn.
Special Award Entries
For the Anglia in Bloom competition 2023 the Welwyn Hatfield area has been entered for six special awards:
- Best Local Authority Floral Display – Howardsgate and Parkway
- Best Public Open Space - Howardsgate and Parkway
- Best Sustainable Garden – Anniversary Gardens
- Best Conservation Project – The Fernery
- Best Community Project – All Aboarders
- Best Community Project – The Fernery
The locations selected for each award are being judged based on a number of different categories. These include:
- choice of plants
- maintenance
- quality of green spaces
- environmental responsibility
- community participation.
Danesbury Fernery
- Danesbury is a historic parkland situated in Welwyn Village. There are 145 different types of flowers planted in the Fernery and an abundance of grasses and ferns. It attracts a variety of wildlife including flocks of Goldfinches, and lots of bees and butterflies which are attracted by the array of flowers and vegetation.
- The Danesbury Fernery also includes a myriad of rare flowers. The rarest wildflower species at the Fernery is the Deptford Pink (Dianthus Armeria) which is classed as extinct because it does not grow in the wild.
- The Fernery was once linked to Danesbury House; an estate built in 1776. In 1859 the Fernery was designed and built by Anthony Parsons, Danesbury’s head gardener, as requested by the owners of the house at the time. With help from the Pullham Family of Hoddesdon, they created the Fernery.
- Danesbury Fernery was built in an old chalk pit east of the house, in what is now one of the pastures of Danesbury Local Nature reserve. The Fernery was comp/eted in 1860 and features a dropping well, a pass, and a rustic bridge over a gorge.
Anniversary Gardens
The anniversary gardens opened in Spring 2023 to mark the Queens Platinum Jubilee. It consists of garden designs inspired by the work of Welwyn Garden City’s founder Ebeneezer Howard and the time he spent working in Chicago in the United States. The gardens consist of beautifully landscaped areas which will be able to be enjoyed throughout the year as the seasons change. The design includes sustainable and pollinator friendly plants to further support local wildlife.
Parkway
Parkway is a scenic centre to the town, consisting of mirrored trees, shaped bushes and delicate flowers thoughtfully embedded down the centre of Welwyn Garden City. It is situated outside the centre of the Howard Centre, a shopping centre at the heart of the town. The Parkway area brings green areas, trees, flowers and wildlife to Welwyn Garden City; the key elements of a Garden City which Howard was focused on when designing Welwyn Garden City.
All Aboarders
Entered for the best community project, All Aboarders is the Welwyn Garden City Adoption Group. It consists of a group of volunteer citizens who work to reinvigorate the Welwyn Garden City Station, adding flower beds and planters to for the enjoyment of the travelling public. Some of the beautiful flowers planted this summer for the Anglia in Bloom competition at the Station include lavender (Lavandula), a selection of Roses (Rosa) and an assortment of other flowers.
Councillor Sandreni Bonfante, the Executive Member for Environment and Planning attended the Anglia in Bloom competition as the judges visited Welwyn Garden City:
We were absolutely delighted to achieve two silver gilt and two silver awards for our borough last year. It was a fantastic way to celebrate the hard work and achievements of our council officers, contractors and volunteers. This year we have taken on board the feedback from the judges last year and we have entered a number of different categories which we are excited to share with you. We have continued to make improvements to our open spaces in the borough, sustainability being a key focus.
Awards Ceremony
Anglia in Bloom 2023 will announce the winners at the awards ceremony in September.
Please visit the links below to find out more about the locations selected to be entered into the Anglia in Bloom Competition 2023 for Welwyn Hatfield.