BURY has put on a “bloomin” good show.

At the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Britain in Bloom National Awards 2013, Bury won gold in the small city category.

And the town also scooped the RHS Britain in Bloom Environmental Responsibility Award for best demonstrating good management of resources.

On the gold award, RHS judges said: “It was great to see this dynamic North West town back in the national finals of Britain in Bloom, especially noting the financial climate and its effect on civic horticulture.

“The Bury in Bloom initiative has risen to the challenge and produced an outstanding entry, changing much of the seasonal planting to perennials and taking note of their experience in the campaign over the past few years. First entered 11 years ago, they now rank as one of the best in the region and with this year’s gold award winning entry they now are at the very pinnacle of the national Bloom campaign.”

On the environmental responsibility award, an RHS spokesman said: “At most places we visited on our tour we met recycling officers working on initiatives to improve percentages. Bury was different. Bury was very serious about not just increasing rates but was leading by example, working within the council.

“It has moved from one of the lowest recycling towns in Greater Manchester at 28 per cent to the third best now at 46 per cent with plans to top 50 per cent by 2014.

“Its recycling team regularly goes out to schools to work on projects. It has displays to make you think and act and that cover every aspect of environmental respons-ibility; recycling, food sense, energy consumption and the search for residents to become green ambassadors.”