Report from Tess Reddington

Home and business owners in Burscough are being invited to take part in a competition run by Burscough Parish Council showcasing the best of Burscough’s gardening skills.

‘Bloomin’ Burscough’ will encourage residents and business owners to get green fingered and put their gardening skills to good use and help make Burscough bloom with beauty. The PC’s hoping that it will be a light-hearted, fun competition for all in the community to get involved with.

The competition will see two distinct categories from last year: best single or group of hanging baskets/planters and best front garden, with prizes including £100 for the persons who come first in each category, as well as a winner’s engraved shield to take home for the year. - there will also be a prize of £50 for each runner up in the two categories - and there will be two new categories: best Business planting – landscaped area or floral display, and a new sunflower competition for children.

Local judges, nominated by others for their love and knowledge of plants, will score each entry against a set of criteria including colour, interest and quality of planting.

And the Parish Council’s delighted that Rosie Cooper MP has now declared the event open for entries.

She told QLocal: “We all enjoy a beautifully colourful garden with an array of different plants and features.

“’Bloomin’ Burscough’ is the perfect reason for the avid gardener to show off their gardening skills or perhaps the motivation to get stuck in to sprucing up your garden, and I’d encourage all Burscough residents with even the slightest green fingers to have a go at this competition.

“The sunflower competition is a fantastic way to get children discovering the enjoyment of nurturing their own plants and watching them grow.
“It is a bit of fun for the whole community and a real opportunity to show off the best the village’s gardeners have to offer.”

Applications for the competition can be found at www.burscoughpc.co.uk or collected from the Burscough PC office at Martland Mill, Burscough, from 9.30 am - 4.30pm, Monday to Thursday; completed entry forms can be returned by email, post or hand. Or return applications to Burscough Parish Council, Martland Mill, Mart Lane, Burscough, L40 0SD or email to admin@burscoughpc.org.uk.