Bexhill at its sunny best for regional judges

Geoff Yates and Robin Potter were greeted at a reception at the Cooden Beach Hotel at lunch-time by Town Mayor Cllr Patrick Douart, Bexhill in Bloom chairman Sandra Melvin, Dave Dickens-Smith of Bexhill 100 Motoring Club, parks officer Rebecca Owen,and Rother members Cllr Deirdre Williams and Cllr Jimmy Carroll.

Bexhill has been entered in the coastal towns category this year for the regional contest instead of the large towns class.

Just two and a half hours is allowed under the judging rules. It made for a packed itinerary.

First viewing was the Shredded Wheat Clock, a Big Ben replica in wheat straw loaned by the cereal-makers and hosted by the Cooden Beach Hotel.

Ken Findley's Cooden Beach estate agency followed before the party journeyed with Jeanette Austin to see Little Common Business Association's hanging baskets and planters and Little Common Methodist's Church gardens together with the sensory garden created there by the 5th Bexhill Brownies.

At Collington Wood allotments Brian Giffiths was able to explain for Rother council how allotment tentants are growing their own food and Bexhill and District Gardens and Allotments Society organises its annual allotments competition.

There was just time to cruise past the Thornbank Crescent home of Dr Ed Echlin and his wife Barbara. They cleverly intersperse fruit and vegetables with the flowers in their front garden.

The cruise took in the landscaped screening of Unigate Dairies' Terminus Road plant, Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses and Town Hall Square's Rother gardens.

Like the Bexhill In Bloom judges before them last week, the regionsal judges met Jane Jenner and children of King Offa School who have created a sensory garden.

There was a coffee stop at the 73a Centre in London Road where, with Yorkshire Building Society Support, clients have created both flower and vegetable gardens.

There was no time to stop for a "quick one" at the Bell Hotel but onwards to Manor Gardens and the Servants With Jesus' prayer garden.

Resident Tom Jordan's seaside beds at The Sackville are always a judging "must."

The whistle-stop tour took in the Bexhill In Bloom flowerbed at Marina, this year dedicated to Bexhill's Fairtrade Town status, as Cllr Stuart Wood explained.

The judges were given time to walk along the central promenade and take in the enterprising gardens created by Marina Court Avenue residents despite their exposed seaside position.

They inspected the garden of the nearby Dunselma Hotel at Marina and the bloom competition window display at the Observer office.

In Egerton Park, Rebecca Owen was able to explain the Lottery bid which, if successful, will see the regeneration of Egerton Park.