Clovelly features in BBC 2 series Britain in Bloom.

Episode two of the popular BBC 2 series "Britain in Bloom" focuses on residents of the picturesque fishing village of Clovelly, North Devon.

World-famous for its steep cobbled street where no traffic is allowed - instead, residents rely upon sledges to transport goods to their cottages. This programme will explore the particular challenges of gardening in Clovelly and the often creative ways that residents approach ‘Bloom’. Imagine the effort involved in getting materials such as gravel, decking, compost etc. to the cottages!

Presenter Chris Bavin spent time in the village, filming members of the Clovelly Community Gardening Group in the months leading up to and including the judging day - when esteemed RHS Judges visited to assess the groups efforts. Will the group be awarded gold?

Su Maddocks leads the Clovelly in Bloom project:

“With over 1600 communities entering Britain in Bloom each year, we were both surprised and thrilled to be chosen to be one of the 15 communities to be filmed for the 2nd series of the programme. It was a wonderful opportunity to showcase our beautiful village and the culmination of our year-round efforts.”

“Personally I am really excited to see if we have managed to share with the wider audience, the amazing impact Britain in Bloom has had on both our community and the proactive initiatives we are taking to care for our environment. I also hope it shows what great fun we had doing it!”

“In a busy tourist destination like ours it is all too easy to forget, when the place is full of tourists, that there is a community of people, who live here all year round and call it home. Britain in Bloom has encouraged us to want to make our village both look special and to look after our wildlife and environment, for us and not just for those who visit.”

Episode 2 was broadcast on 26th March 2019 - Catch up here https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0003mx9

BBC Bloom: Su Maddocks, Dolly, Ann Jarvis, Chris Bavin, Ellie Jarvis - Children: Wilfie (5yrs), Sonny (9yrs). Photo copyright Ellie Jarvis (All Rights Reserved)

BBC Bloom Presenter Chris Bavin in Clovelly Harbour. Photo copyright Ellie Jarvis (All Rights Reserved)

 

BBC Bloom Presenter Chris Bavin and Su Maddocks who leads the Clovelly in Bloom Project. Photo copyright BBC (All Rights Reserved)

BBC Bloom Presenter Chris Bavin chats to Dolly. Photo copyright Ellie Jarvis (All Rights Reserved)

BBC Bloom Presenter Chris Bavin on a Clovelly fishing boat. Photo copyright BBC (All Rights Reserved)

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ABOUT BRITAIN IN BLOOM – The second series of BBC Two’s Britain in Bloom focuses on fifteen different communities as they prepare to enter the Royal Horticultural Society’s prestigious annual floral competition. Presented by Chris Bavin, each episode follows the journey of one community as they come together to prepare for Britain in Bloom right through to the all-important judging day itself.

Volunteer gardeners scoop top green-fingered award

A small band of dedicated volunteer gardeners have been rewarded for their green-fingered efforts with a prestigious award from Britain in Bloom.

The Cricklepit Garden Group has been working for four years with the Devon Wildlife Trust. During this time eight regular volunteers have transformed the grounds of Cricklepit Mill, the conservation charity's Exeter headquarters which sits close to the city's busy historic Quayside.

Now the beauty and inventiveness of the volunteers has been recognised. Their garden has scooped the highest level of accreditation - 'Outstanding' - in Britain in Bloom's 'It's Your Neighbourhood' awards 2016.

Judges enjoyed the garden's mix of sensory beds, small ponds, a winter heath garden, bee and butterfly borders and a culinary herb bed.

The volunteer gardeners were praised by Britain in Bloom assessors for a number of key areas:

• The garden's innovative use of "bird boxes, bat boxes, bird feeders and planting for pollinators throughout the year".

• Also highlighted was the volunteers' innovative use of "recycled materials and rainwater harvesting", along with the use of composted material from Devon Wildlife Trust's offices.

• Judges also praised the volunteers' willingness to share the garden with visitors through the staging of regular open days and tours.

George Barbour is the Cricklepit Garden Group's Head Gardener and one of its founding members. George said:

"I'm delighted for all the team that our efforts have been recognised. To win in the 'It's Your Neighbourhood' category is especially pleasing because when we began our work four years ago we wanted it to be a place for local people to come and enjoy wildlife in a peaceful garden setting."

Speaking for Devon Wildlife Trust, Steve Hussey said:

"We're delighted that our volunteer gardeners have been rewarded for their hours of labour. Staff and visitors to Cricklepit Mill have benefited from their work. The garden is now a beautiful place to be, it's full of wildflowers and wildlife. It's a garden which reflects the ethos of our charity and the history of this wonderful working watermill."

Cricklepit Mill and its garden can be found at Commercial Road, Exeter, EX2 4RB, close to the Bishop Blaize pub and the city's Quay. Both are open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Entry is free.

Special milling days are held every month where visitors can see Exeter's only working watermill grinding wheat into flour. The next milling day will be held on Friday 11 November between 10am and 12noon.

The Cricklepit Garden Group can be found working in the garden every Wednesday afternoon. Its volunteers are just one example of the 300 people who regularly volunteer for the charity across Devon. More details about volunteering for Devon Wildlife Trust can be found at www.devonwildlifetrust.org

 Members of the Cricklepit Mill Garden Group celebrate their Britainin Bloom Award

 

Wildflowers in the Cricklepit Mill Garden, Exeter