JUDGES have inspected Yate and Chipping Sodbury’s green-fingered efforts for this year’s In Bloom competition.

Royal Horticultural Society judges Roger Cruse and Nicola Ware visited both towns last Wednesday (July 17) to view the blossoming results of both committees’ work with various community groups.

For Yate and Dodington In Bloom, its 2013 entry into the South West round of the contest has involved more schools, friends’ groups and businesses than ever before.

Chairman Christine Howard said: "We have had lots of new involvement this year, with Bright Beginnings pre-school, Susan Hampshire House care home on Station Road and Brimsham Green School.

"The judging went very well indeed. Our entry is only as good as our committee and we have a phenomenal team of planters.

"Every single flower we plant we have to get a grant for, and we have received a lot of help from Almondsbury Garden Centre, but the team behind it all is outstanding."

On the day of judging at Yate Train Station, pupils from Brimsham Green School laid a plaque they had designed themselves featuring an armadillo on a skateboard to represent youth services in the town, namely the Armadillo Youth Café and Peg Hill Skate Park.

In Chipping Sodbury, the In Bloom committee showed judges the five projects, the High Street, Millennium Gardens and The Ridings, the community orchard at St John’s riverside walk, St John’s Mead Primary School and Batton Court, it has entered into the community categories this year. After winning gold in 2012, Sodbury In Bloom is not entering the main town category this year instead focusing on big projects for next year’s entry.

The committee is, however, still running its own competition to find the best High Street traders’ tub along the theme Incredible Edible.

Committee member Julia Bernau said: "Judging went extremely well. They were extremely complimentary about Chipping Sodbury and loved St John's Mead school and were very impressed with the community involvement."

Britain In Bloom results will be announced at the end of the summer.