THE long-serving head gardener at a prestigious York hotel has been honoured for his work in the latest round of Yorkshire in Bloom results.
David Barker, who works Middlethorpe Hall in Bishopthorpe, accepted the Gold Award – Best in Category from TV presenter and gardener, Martin Fish, at a ceremony in Harrogate.
Lionel Chatard, director and general manager, thanked the gardening team and army of volunteers who worked on the upkeep of the grounds at Middlethorpe Hall.
He said: “We are thrilled. This is the second year running that we received this prestigious award, which crowns David’s commitment and passion.”
David who trained at Askham Bryan College has been at Middlethorpe Hall for more than 30 years, and has 20 manicured acres to look after.
Middlethorpe Hall, along with two others in the group, was handed over to the National Trust in 2008 by its then owners Country House Hotels.
Other winners around the region to attract the eye of Yorkshire in Bloom judges include York Racecourse, which received a gold award and Low Moor Kids Allotment, which also was awarded a gold.
A spokesman for City of York Council said: “In Bloom has taken off in the city and is not restricted to the city centre.
“You will find flowers everywhere – from single flowerpots to more expansive displays in local retail centres, business parks, shopping areas, public houses, community centres, residential areas, schools, parks and gardens and our residents’ gardens, yards and windowsills, with people participating in caring for their local environment and demonstrating that they really do love where they live – York.”
A discretionary award, the Sawley Arms Trophy, was given to Ian Halstead, a gardener at York Racecourse, who was deemed “an individual who has made greatest contribution over 40 years for his floral displays and work”.
Power of petals
YORK is a wonderful city to live in, but we should never take it for granted.
So it is great to see people making an effort. All year, gardeners have been hard at work making the city look bloomin’ great. The result? An explosion of colour, and a clutch of gold and silver awards in Yorkshire in Bloom.
We still await the national results, but win or lose in the city category, we’ve all enjoyed the benefits of taking part already.
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