A BLOOMING Harpenden won three awards for its impressive appearance at a ceremony in Norfolk As well as winning a silver gilt award in the large town category, Harpenden was also presented with two special awards – one for its sensory garden and another f

A BLOOMING Harpenden won three awards for its impressive appearance at a ceremony in Norfolk

As well as winning a silver gilt award in the large town category, Harpenden was also presented with two special awards - one for its sensory garden and another for a local secondary school project - at the Anglia in Bloom awards last Wednesday, September 16.

The silver gilt award recognised the Harpenden in Bloom project, an initiative created in 1996 which was designed to enhance the appearance of Harpenden by putting up new floral displays every year as well as organising planting days for the community to get involved in.

Mayor of Harpenden Cllr Rosemary Farmer said that she was overjoyed with the recognition and added: "The town council are thrilled to accept these prestigious awards on behalf of all those members of the community whose voluntary help and sponsorship have made this wonderful achievement possible."

The Anglia in Bloom judges were particularly impressed with the town's new sensory garden on the Lower High Street, which offers a raised central flower bed to improve access to the plants, a tactile braille map and a mosaic as the central feature.

The second special award was given to the gardening club at St George's School on Sun Lane, who built a garden in an area of the school which was previously derelict. As well as a circular lawn, two green houses and a raised vegetable plot, the students even made a recycled garden from old water tanks, in which they planted donated plants.