TOWN AWARDS 2016
Dartmouth Green Partnerships has judged Dartmouth’s floral displays for 2016. The winners are listed below.
Awards are made for marks out of 10 for each of the following categories: Sustainability and appropriate choice of plants, wildlife friendly, innovation, condition, and overall impression. DGP Chairman, Stevie Rogers, said: ‘The results were very close – most displays do very well in most categories. Wildlife friendly planting is more variable, probably due to the desire for long-lasting flower displays, many of which are F1 hybrids where plants do not produce pollen. The overall awards from category winners are decided by DGP members as a whole.
‘The displays by so many different organisations are greatly appreciated by residents and visitors alike and they do a great deal to make Dartmouth an attractive place in which to live, work and visit. We noticed that some ‘regulars’ were not able to create displays this year, but there were several very welcome newcomers and overall the town looked splendid. DGP would be pleased to see more floral displays in Dartmouth and is very happy to offer advice.
‘This year we did not judge individual residents’ gardens as there are so many wonderful hidden gems in the town. However we did decide to give the best locality award to the gardens along Coombe Terrace.’
Displays created by DGP members were not included. An awards ceremony will take place later in the year. Winners of last year’s awards are asked to return their trophies to The Singing Kettle in Smith Street.
Overall Awards
Best All Year Round
Simon Drew Gallery and Plug Prints for twin displays including a mix of evergreens and colourful seasonal planting in a variety of interesting containers.
Community Award
Simon Drew & Team (above) for their work in Foss Street, keeping everyone involved and helping plant and look after displays along the street, not only outside their own shops.
Best Locality
1st: Coombe Terrace – a fantastic collaboration of residents who create colourful displays in their front gardens all along the terrace.
joint 2nd: Anzac Street and Foss Street/Union Street – for creating an area of town in which it is a pleasure to walk and shop with so many different floral displays.
Best Overall Display
The Dolphin pub for its quirky displays – including a variety of well-planted baskets, troughs, and unusual containers.
Best Newcomer
Roly’s Fudge shop for a fun display of plants in churns, kept going despite theft and a broken window!
Highly Commended – The Coastal House estate agents for a lovely display of themed seaside planting in containers.
The results: Categories
Shops 1st: Simon Drew Gallery and Plug Prints for the twin, themed displays with simple but effective planting in interesting containers.
2nd: Coombe Gallery for its cool coloured, restrained display with olive trees and lavender in containers.
3rd: The Good Intent for an explosion of pretty planting in baskets above and around the shop frontage.
Businesses
1st: R.C. Pillar & Sons for its high quality, well maintained baskets.
2nd: Dartmouth Self Storage for its clever use of containers along the site boundary and restrained planting palette.
3rd: Dartmouth Laundrette for its jolly, colourful balcony display.
Restaurant/Café
1st: Dart-to-Mouth Deli – as always a well-planted, attractive and varied display enhancing the Old Market.
2nd: Anchorstone café for containers and baskets brightening up this corner of Coronation Park.
3rd: Cafe Alfresco for cramming a colourful display into a tiny space.
Public Houses
1st: The Windjammer for a lovely, colour themed, long-lasting display in overflowing baskets and troughs.
2nd: The Dolphin for its continuous colourful baskets, troughs and other containers.
3rd: The Floating Bridge – always a wow with its focus on bright red waterfall begonias.
Hotels
1st: Dart Marina for a beautifully maintained, professionally planted riverside garden with lots of interesting planting in drifts.
2nd: Agincourt House.
Joint. 3rd: Royal Castle and Brown’s Hotel.
B & B/ Guesthouse
1st: Cladda for its pretty, well-planted garden including trees and shrubs as well as containers.
2nd: Valley House for its well-planted containers and colourful display.
3rd: Capritia for its pretty display.
Sheltered Housing
1st: Holdsworth House – specially good this year with luscious orange begonias, startling against red brick walls.
2nd: Churchill Court for its colourful containers.
Clubs
1st: Football Club for a good display of shrubs and colourful plants.
2nd: Conservative Club for its colourful baskets.