Young gardeners praised at Gosport and Lee-on-the-Solent Schools in Bloom awards

Schools were invited to enter the Gosport and Lee-on-the-Solent in Bloom gardening competition to compete for prizes including best edible garden, tallest sunflower and best school.

Stevyn Ricketts, head of Gosport Streetscene, announced each award and invited the schools up to receive their trophies from ITV Meridian presenter Fred Dinenage.

In a short speech to the crowd, Stevyn said: ‘It’s wonderful to see you hard working, dedicated young people. The effort you have shown is outstanding.’

Facing tough competition, Gomer Junior School was proud to be awarded Best School for the second year running, along with six other trophies.

Headteacher Georgina Mulhall said: ‘We are really proud to have had our efforts recognised in this forum again. It is testament to the all-year-round efforts. Our children garden in all weathers alongside a variety of family members which adds to our community feel.

‘Every year we add to the grounds, so we may have a new decorative feature or new plants. Our gardening offer is ever evolving.’

Pupils from the school in Pyrford Close, Gosport, really enjoyed the day as they went up to collect three gold awards, two silver and one bronze.

Among the gold awards for Gomer Junior School were best decorative features and best edible garden.

Elijah Russell, ten, said: ‘The best part about gardening is that you get to help the wildlife. Because of climate change, animals are dying and we need to be as helpful and resourceful as we can.

‘We have got lots of flowers, everywhere you look there’s flowers. There’s a boat we have converted into a flower bed, we did a school project and one of our children made a wheelbarrow.’

When asked why she likes gardening, Lydia Mason, seven, said: ‘I like that it is good for nature and makes more things for the bees. Lots of flowers are being dug up to build silly old roads! I like eating the fruit we grow because it’s tasty and very healthy.’