By William Coleman
There is nothing more British than a flower show, and that’s a fact. The Caravan and Motorhome Club recognises this and has awarded the Tewkesbury Abbey Club Site in Gloucestershire and Bromyard Downs Club Site in Herefordshire the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s ‘Sites In Bloom’ 2017 Awards.
The award winning site is a short walk away from the delightful town of Tewkesbury, The site is said to be one of the most impressive of the CAMC network. The flourishing site clipped all the competition to bag the prestigious Site In Bloom award in the ‘multi-couple’ category (a set of site staff and two sets of assistant site staff).
There is more than just amazing flowers on display, the site gives easy access to the War of the Roses Battle Trail and boat trips on the river. The site is surrounded on all sides by the amazing greenery of the UK countryside with the famous Abbey towering above. The area is so perfect with mature trees lining the area making it a perfect escape from the day to day grind.
In first place for the ‘single couple’ category (one set of site staff), Bromyard Downs is a pretty woodland getaway in Herefordshire. The site is nestled between the cathedral cities of Hereford and Worcester and offers walks with stunning scenery across the Bromyard Downs straight from the site.
Gowerton Club Site near Swansea took second place in the ‘multi-couple’ category, whilst Kinlochewe Club Site in the Scottish Highlands was runner up in the ‘single couple’ category.
Harvey Alexander, Director of Marketing at the Caravan and Motorhome Club said: “All of the sites across our network have beautiful grounds, thanks to the incredibly high standards and hard work of our dedicated staff, so the competition is fierce. I would like to thank everyone who took part and wish congratulations to the winners and runners up.”
The Sites in Bloom Awards were introduced in 2003 by Caravan Club Life Member, the late Alan Payne OBE, who wished to recognise the creative and horticultural skills of site staff and volunteers, and to showcase their success in making their sites colourful and welcoming.
The displays were evaluated using criteria including layout and creative use of space, variety, innovation, flair and colour coordination, with particular attention being paid to economy and low maintenance. The geographical location of the site is also taken into account by the judges and the fact that plant species are chosen to suit the local environment.
I have far too many memories from my childhood weekends spent at my aunts who spent years putting together her back and front garden. I saw planted thousands of bulbs and flowers so I know the effort that goes into the designing and upkeep of a flower bed. Well done to the winners, you’ve earned it.
