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Date: 31 Oct 2024
Green-fingered residents, community groups, schools and businesses from across Belfast were rewarded for making the city bloom, be more wildlife and pollinator-friendly and bringing more people and neighbourhoods together - at this year’s Belfast in Bloom Awards.
The annual awards by Belfast City Council celebrated the winners and runners-up of the popular competition with a ceremony taking place at Malone House yesterday (Wednesday 30 October).
The honours for ‘Best Community Garden’ went to Raby Street near the Ormeau Road in South Belfast; Wolfhill Centre community garden in Ligoniel, north Belfast and Musgrave Community Garden, Stockman’s Lane in the west of the city.
Raby Street Garden was praised by the judges for the greening and regenerating of an urban area in the city through growing flowers, vegetables, creating a pond as well as a space for community connections.
Restore Glandore ATC Community Group won ‘Best Community Street’ in north Belfast - also winning the award last year, while Haypark and Rushfield Avenue Alley Garden in south Belfast and Lime Court, Peter’s Hill scooped awards for their areas of the city.
The ‘Best Community Group’ award was taken by Tyndale Residents Group in Ballysillan with judges recognising the community involvement in restoring a community garden, planting fruit trees and pollinator plants to support local wildlife.
Dundela Infants School in east Belfast, St John the Baptist Primary School in west Belfast and Brefne Integrated Nursery School in the north of the city celebrated ‘Best School Garden’ wins in the competition.
Great Victoria Street won the ‘Best Commercial Street’ award for its enhancement following the planting of wildflowers, trees and colourful planters on the street. Linen Quarter BID and local businesses worked together to green and improve the street for wildlife, residents, workers and visitors to the city.
While there were wins once again this year for Granny Annies in the city centre for ‘Best Restaurant’, the Errigle Inn for ‘Best Public House’ and Memento Floral Design for ‘Best Commercial Premises’.
In the residents’ categories of the competition, Matthew McCarthy picked up both ‘Best Hanging Basket’ and ‘Best Window Box’ awards for north Belfast with judges being wowed by a gable wall of his house “being awash with floral displays”.
Eric and Rita Weir’s front garden won ‘Best Front Garden’ in east Belfast for its “wide range of plants and pots, good use of space and arts and crafts adding interest and personality to the garden including a bird bath and feeders to support local wildlife”.
Congratulating all the winners and runners-up at the event, Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Micky Murray, said: “Belfast in Bloom is one of our most popular competitions, running for over 30 years, and brings so many benefits and joy to our neighbourhoods, communities, schools and businesses in the city.
“It’s wonderful to meet the winners and runners-up of this year’s awards and congratulate them on their great work in making Belfast bloom even more, while also hear about the fantastic projects that communities are working on to transform urban spaces across the city. These communities are coming together and creating beautiful spaces that are not only havens for wildlife but also themselves – contributing to their physical and mental well-being. Well done everyone!”
The full list of winners can be found at www.belfastcity.gov.uk/belfastinbloom