Welwyn Garden City wins big at Anglia in Bloom 2024

Welwyn Garden City triumphed once again in this year’s Anglia in Bloom competition, scooping gold and overall best BID award for Welwyn Garden City at the award ceremony last Friday (6 September). 

Three special awards were also received in recognition of:

• Best Sustainable Planting – Anniversary Garden, WGC Town Centre
• Best Public Open Space – Howardsgate and Parkway, WGC Town Centre
• Best Local Authority Floral Display – Howardsgate and Parkway, WGC Town Centre

Oak Hill Lawn Cemetery and Crematorium also received bronze award in the cemeteries category.

Welwyn Garden City showcased its floral beauty for the Anglia in Bloom judges, when they toured the town centre in July.  Our submission was judged on criteria such as plant choice, maintenance, environmental responsibility and community participation.

Cllr Sandreni Bonfante, Executive Member, Environment, said:

This has been our most successful year for Anglia in Bloom!  In 2024, we continued to make improvements to the open spaces in our town centres and Borough, focusing on sustainability in our environment.  It is great that this hard work from our officers and volunteers has been recognised with these awards. I would like to congratulate and thank our fantastic volunteers, community groups, contractors, the Welwyn Garden City BID team and Council Officers on this wonderful achievement.  We have also been nominated for the 2024 Britain in Bloom competition.  The winners will be announced this autumn so good luck to everyone involved with our entry for that competition!

Mariana Bitonte, Welwyn Garden City BID Manager said:

Winning the award for Best BID town at Anglia in Bloom is a wonderful recognition of the great work and dedication that goes in to designing and maintaining such beautiful green spaces and floral displays. We are very proud of our town centre, and this award is confirmation that our joint commitment to maintaining and enhancing our environment is the spirit of what it means to be a Garden City.

Anglia in Bloom Judge John Crawley said:

My fellow judge Ian Chatters and I really enjoyed seeing the variety of trees around town centre and the wonderful planting from the All Aboarders display at the train station, to the Anniversary Garden and Centenary Woodland Garden. Thank you to Councillor Bonfante and all of the team at WHBC for looking after us during our visit to Welwyn Garden City.

Further information on the Anglia in Bloom competition can be found here.