Britain in Bloom judges charmed by Herm pupils

HERM has been visited by Britain in Bloom judges for the RHS Champion of Champions competition.

Judge Jim Knight was visiting the island for only the second time, having had a day trip here. He was very interested to see what goes on behind the scenes, such as the Mermaid Tavern's mission to reduce waste as much as possible, and to reduce the amount of glass and plastic that is brought into the island.

Returning judge Sue Wood noticed many changes within the 12 months since she last judged us. She was impressed with the Edible Britain work in the self-catering courtyard, where the gardeners have filled the beds and pots with vegetables and herbs, alongside stunning flower displays.

This year, for a change, there was also a video presentation for the judges. Island children were interviewed, and they talked about parts of the island the judges wouldn't usually get to see, such as the campsite and the bug hotels.

'Although that is what the portfolio is for,' said Jim, 'a picture can only show you so much. The video is great, but it doesn't compare to actually meeting the children in person.'

Both judges were charmed by the group of schoolchildren and pre-schoolers who met them in the tiny school garden.

The pupils showed off their Shakespearean garden, with roses Romeo and Juliet and heart-shaped planting in between. Every part of the little playground has been given attention. The bench they sit on is from 100% recycled materials, and the little hut in which they shelter in bad weather is surrounded by honeysuckle plants called Beatrice and Benedict, who will hopefully one day grow tall enough the meet at the top.

'The children are so confident and their enjoyment really shows,' said Jim.

'They are lucky to have so much freedom to use the beautiful outdoor space for lessons.'

What seems to always shine through is the strong sense of community that is ongoing, and that we hope shows in our day-to-day lives.

'We loved hearing about the community events, like the gardeners' barbecue, and the cake baking and marrow contests,' said Sue. 'It is such a close-knit, friendly community, and there is a great diversity with so many different nationalities involved.'

Although the weather forecast for the day wasn't great, glorious sunshine prevailed for most of the tour, with a thundery downpour greeting the judges for a final community meeting at Shell Beach.

Herm's two gardeners, Brett Moore and Roseanne Wheeler, worked hard in the lead-up to the competition.

'We're really pleased with the way the islanders and our extra members of the community came out to support us on the day,' said Rosie.

'Even when it rained at Shell Beach, there were plenty of people happy to talk to the judges and show them our wonderful island. We just have to wait until October to find out the results.'