Youngster wins Harrogate in Bloom trophy for Valley Gardens Jubilee flower bed design

Children from schools across the town took part in a competition to design the Platinum Jubilee Flowerbed in the Valley Gardens, which saw Jack Baier’s winning entry brought to life with more than 3,300 plants.

And at the Harrogate in Bloom awards ceremony held in 63rd + 1st, the Year 7 pupil was presented with the Hammond Mann Trophy - given to the In Bloom Committee by Old Ashvillian Martin Mann – by former Yorkshire Agricultural Society Chief Executive Nigel Pulling.

The evening, which was attended by more than 60 invited guests, including the Mayor of the Borough of Harrogate, Councillor Victoria Oldham, was the culmination of Harrogate BID’s Floral Summer of Celebration.

This featured a floral trail consisting of seven unique displays, floral-themed shop windows, a fascinating indoor exhibition - including a film from 1959 called Harrogate: A Guide To Britain’s Floral Resort – and a shop window competition.

Other winners on the night included Helen James Flowers, Horticap, the White Hart Hotel, and Vivido.

To create the flowerbed, Harrogate Borough Council’s park and gardens team planted 800 Super Olympia Pink Begonias, 1,100 Super Olympia Red Begonias, 650 Non-Stop Yellow Begonias and 800 Mambo Mid Blue Petunias.

Pam Grant, Harrogate in Bloom President, said: “We were delighted with the response to this particular competition category, and congratulate Jack on his winning design.

“Once translated from paper to flowerbed, it looked absolutely stunning, and was a fitting floral tribute to honour our dearly departed Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.”