The quality of gardens across Maldon and and the commitment of the individual gardeners, schools, groups of community garden volunteers who create and maintain them has been marked at the Maldon in Bloom annual awards evening.

All the community gardens featured have been transformed from neglected public open spaces and been created and maintained by small groups of volunteers for the benefit of residents, visitors and local wildlife to visit.

Each of the gardens displayed a different reason to celebrate this year as well as joining in with the Maldon in Bloom team celebrating their 25th anniversary.

Mick Hopper of Washington Road created solitary bee homes from a tree trunk to share among our gardens. Two of our gardens - Blackwater U3A and Longfields were part of this year's Christian Aid Open Gardens weekend. This raised £1,007.85p on the day.

Some of the 17 volunteers volunteers were able to attend the awards evening. Volunteers were awarded a Gold and best in category certificate, a Gold Award certificate and three Silver Certificates.

Anchor Bed at our Prom was awarded a Silver Award

This flower border is celebrating its first year as a shared project between Blackwater U3A and Limebrook U3A members. The planting scheme of blue and white blue and white has been chosen to reflect its riverside location. The group have extended the area worked on to include the whole length of the bed. The established white roses have been the main attraction this year, with other younger plants grown from seed settling into spaces. The group are really grateful for donations of young plants for this long border.

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Blackwater U3A community Garden was awarded a Gold Award

The volunteers are celebrating thirteen years of maintaining this garden and an artist from Blackwater U3A painted a yellow chrysanthemum poster to represent the anniversary. Another U3A member created a poster depicting the wildlife which visit our garden and enjoy the homes. The garden is a mixture of trees, shrubs, perennials, herbs and bulbs. As the seasons change both the National U3A colours of blue and yellow can be seen in the planting scheme.

Browning Corner Community Garden was awarded a Gold and Best in Category Award. The volunteers are celebrating Wimbledon and a resident created related motifs to display. The garden is a colourful mix of trees, climbers, perennials, annuals and bulbs providing all year round interest. A special feature was the interesting addition of a herb area with the invitation for residents to take some. Runner beans and tomatoes are also grown for residents to enjoy. The wildlife have plenty of choice with a variety of homes to choose from. The seat is a welcome sight for walkers and residents of all ages to sit and chat.

Chapter House community garden was awarded a Silver Certificate.

The volunteers are celebrating the first year, visitors from other local groups are coming to spend a morning or afternoon in a safe environment to have a drink and a chat together using our new picnic tables and gardens seats. This garden has several different elements, raised beds, a long border with a variety of perennial plants and bulbs. Raised planters are filled with herbs, grasses and lavenders forming a sensory garden for all to enjoy. An allotment area is being developed with tomatoes, onions, runner beans and peas and it is hoped that fruit bushes will be planted later this year.

Longfields Community Border was awarded a Silver Certificate.

This is a shared project with Maldon 3rd Brownies and the Friary Pre-School children providing posters and artwork relating to local and national events. The border is a good mix of established plants, herbs and bulbs giving a wide range of colour and textures which seem to be able to cope with our changes of weather. Throughout the seasons it provides wildlife with natural food and ground cover and gives a natural look in this quiet oasis in the centre of town. Birds, bees and butterflies enjoy our variety of pollinating flowers through a long season.

Marlowe Close Community Garden

This garden is a shared project with neighbours nearby transforming an otherwise plain garage wall into a border of colour and interest. The garden is now in flower with white hebes and the purple lavenders make quite a show, along with the mauve buddleia flowers, all encouraging wildlife to visit.

Due to circumstances, this garden was not entered into the Maldon in Bloom competition this year