Linlithgow Triumphs at the Beautiful Scotland Awards!
Linlithgow has received the Silver Rosebowl for being the Overall Winner, plus four framed certificates, one relating to the Rosebowl and the others related to the award of a Go ld Medal, being the Best Medium-sized Town, and an award for Special Endeavour.
The Special Endeavour Award relates specifically to the excellent community gardening activities undertaken by Eileen Murray and helpers at Water Yett, and by Audrey Simpson and Peter Common at the West Port flats. The judges said:
“The work carried out in and around the West Port flats and Linlithgow Loch by local residents lends itself to a long term local community involvement. In fact, one of the beds at the West Port flats is one of the best mixed borders seen in a long time. The environment has been improved immensely, attracts insects and has an element of public art. All this has been achieved by people who wanted a garden but until Burgh Beautiful and West Lothian Council facilitated this, it would not have been possible."
We will frame three copies of this award for presentation to Eileen, Audrey and Peter.
Also worthy of mention is that the judges nominated West Lothian Council for the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Trophy (albeit, the trophy was eventually won by Aberdeen City Council). The judges stated:
"West Lothian carries out parks maintenance to a very high standard in Linlithgow. There was not a weed to be seen, all the edges around beds and grass areas were immaculate and the bedding schemes done in consultation with Burgh Beautiful were well grown, covering the ground and pleasing to the eye."
The main highlights from the judges’ mark sheets are:
- 94 marks out of 100 for horticultural achievement, including 20 out of 20 (can’t get better than that!) for both residential/community gardening and the quality of the town’s green spaces. Liaison between Burgh Beautiful and the Council on themed bedding was praised, and the community gardens as above were described as ‘outstanding’. Special mention was made of the herb borders in front of the Health Centre (Hazel Duguid) and the vegetable bed at the Vennel (Kirsty Leonard/LinlithGROW). Recommended Areas for Improvement: “Not a lot! Keep up the work and keep pushing the boundaries!”
- 42 marks out of 50 for environmental responsibility, with 9 out of 10 for three of the five sub-categories. The heritage trail markers and public art were given special mention as areas of achievement, but our lowest mark of 7 out of 10 for recycling was (again!) identified as an area for improvement.
- 43 marks out of 50 for community participation, with again 9 out of 10 for three of the five sub-categories. Here, the local sponsorship of the hanging baskets was seen as impressive, and the Eco Garden of Linlithgow Bridge Primary School “was a good stop and was enhanced by the enthusiastic schoolchildren who acted as great tour guides”. Linkages with Community Service Order teams and more youth involvement were recommended.
- Overall, 179 marks out of 200, compared to 155 last year, and 133 the year before.
Once again, thanks to everyone who contributed to this success!
Ron Smith
Chair of Burgh Beautiful
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CAN YOU OFFER ANY HELP?
Anyone with an interest in getting involved can get
in touch with Burgh Beautiful by e-mailing burgh-beautiful@lct.org.uk
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