TOWNS, villages and schools have been recognised for their horticultural skill in this year's Cumbria in Bloom awards despite a 'blooming rotten' year for gardening. 

The three awards ceremonies happened in Whitehaven, Kendal and Gosling Sike near Carlisle. 

Chairman of Cumbria in Bloom Ronnie Auld said: "When we look back on 2024 it has blooming rotten for gardeners – which makes it even more remarkable the standard of entries we have seen from across Cumbria.

“We don’t think of Cumbria in Bloom Awards as a competition but as a reward, a celebration and recognition for the effort and successes of communities, working together to improve their local environment."

The winners of this year's awards in South Cumbria are as follows: 

  • Sheila Hensman Trophy - School outstanding achievement: Dane Ghyll Primary and Nursery, Barrow
  • Biodiversity Schools Trophy: Langdale CE Primary
  • Rickerby Ltd - outstanding achievement: Ulverston BID
  • Cumbria in Bloom Rose Bowl (categories 3 and 4): Castle Green Hotel, Kendal
  • Cumbria Tourism Rose Bowl - visitor attraction (category 6): Muncaster Castle
  • Royal Horticultural Society In Your Neighbourhood Certificate of Distinction: Growing Well Volunteers (Kendal)

For the Cumbria in Bloom Pride in Your Community marks in the town and large town category: 

  • Ulverston BID: Gold (Silver Gilt for Britain in Bloom 60th and Cumbria Tourism 50th anniversaries special award) 
  • Barrow: Silver-Gilt

For the tourism entries: 

  • The Farmers Arms: Silver-Gilt
  • The Rose and Crown: Silver-Gilt
  • Cragwood Country House Hotel: Gold (Silver-Gilt for woodland) 
  • Briery Wood Country House Hotel: Silver-Gilt
  • Castle Green Hotel: Gold
  • Park Cliffe Holiday Park: Gold
  • Woodclose Park: Gold (Silver-Gilt for woodland)
  • World of Beatrix Potter Attraction: Silver
  • Muncaster Castle: Gold

School entries: 

  • Captain Shaw's CE Primary: Gold
  • Patterdale CE Primary: Gold
  • Langdale CE Primary: Gold
  • Staveley CE Primary: Silver-Gilt
  • Dane Ghyll Primary: Gold 
  • Roose Community Primary: Silver-Gilt

Royal Horticultural Society It's Your Neighbourhood: 

  • Bridge End Area: Thriving
  • Friends of Cark Station: Thriving
  • Gill Banks Action Group: Outstanding
  • Ulverston and District Civic Society - The Pound: Thriving
  • Quaker Friendship Garden Ulverston: Thriving (Bronze for Britain in Bloom 60th and Cumbria Tourism 50th anniversaries special award)
  • Friends of Kents Bank Station and Foreshore: Outstanding
  • Gatesbield Quaker Housing Association: Outstanding (Silver-Gilt for woodland)
  • Windermere Elleray Woods and Orrest Head: Outstanding (Gold for woodland) 
  • Bowness Bay Jubilee Gardens, Windermere: Outstanding
  • Windermere Food Farm: Thriving
  • Lakes Line Rail User Group - Kendal Railway Station: Improving
  • Brewery Arts Kendal: Thriving
  • Bowness and Windermere Community Care Trust (Train Station): Thriving
  • Kendal Unitarian Chapel Multi Faith Garden of Remembrance: Thriving
  • Mind in Furness - Ulverston Station: Improving
  • Barrow Town Centre: Thriving
  • Love Barrow Families Allotment: Thriving
  • Dock Museum Surrounds: Thriving
  • Barrow Park: Advancing
  • Mind in Furness - Mind Garden: Thriving 
  • Growing Well Volunteers - Kendal: Outstanding
  • Growing Well Volunteers - Tebay: Outstanding
  • Ribblehead Station: Outstanding
  • Tidy Town Group/Friends of Dalton Station: Thriving
  • Grange-over-Sands Soroptimist Sensory Garden: Outstanding
  • Kendal Flood Scheme Information Hub - Environment Agency: Thriving
  • Mintsfeet - Environment Agency: Thriving 
  • Friends of Ravenglass Main Line Station: Advancing
  • Manna House: Advancing
  • Ford Park Community Group: Thriving