Hever Castle Celebrates Triple Win at South East in Bloom 2017

South East in Bloom winner
September 28 2017 | Garden

South East in Bloom

We are delighted to announce that the Hever Castle gardens were once again awarded a prestigious Gold medal in the 2017 South and South East in Bloom Awards. Two of our talented gardeners were also presented with special discretionary awards.

Head gardener, Neil Miller, was awarded the South East in Bloom ‘Horticulture Achievement Award’ while Josh Fenn was announced ‘Young Gardener’ for 2017.

The South East in Bloom judges said of Hever: “There are probably only a handful of locations of this calibre in the south east or beyond and it is almost impossible to suggest any improvements.”

There was praise for the formal gardens and for the team itself, especially head gardener Neil Miller: “The site is very professionally managed by a Head Gardener and a team of Gardeners, several of whom have come through the work experience route. Neil Miller, is to be congratulated for his efforts to encourage and support young people to enter Horticulture as a career and that is clearly to be seen when meeting and talking to members of his team.”

South East in Bloom

Credit: Leo Beiber

Sarah Cole, marketing manager at Hever Castle & Gardens, attended the awards and collected Neil Miller’s award for him. She said: “Congratulations must go to the gardening team for once again demonstrating that Hever Castle has one of the finest gardens in the region. It was fantastic that both Josh and Neil received special mentions with their discretionary awards alongside high praise from the judges at the ceremony.”

South & South East in Bloom is the largest horticultural campaign in the region involving hundreds of communities each year. Participating communities create lasting improvements to their local environment for the benefit of those that live, work and visit.

Jim Buttress, RHS judge, popular television personality and former Royal Parks gardener presented the awards at the Gatwick hotel on Wednesday 20th September. Gatwick Airport were headline sponsors at this year’s South and South East in Bloom.