The County of Brant will be showing off its green thumb with a first-time entry in this year’s Communities in Bloom event.
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A Canadian non-profit organization, Communities in Bloom encourages municipalities across the country to enhance their green spaces and promote sustainable practices.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for us to come together as a community, enhance our beautiful spaces and demonstrate our commitment to environmental sustainability,” said Meghan Hunter, Brant’s manager of parks, capital planning and forestry. “We are looking forward to showcasing our efforts and celebrating our shared civic pride with the judges.”
Orange is the color for this year – Communities in Bloom’s 30th anniversary – as a tribute to Canada’s Indigenous communities.
Everyone is encouraged to plant orange to show their support.
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The City of Brantford is poised to make a return to the friendly competition and its councilors are also encouraging the community to get involved.
“We’ve done this before and it proved to be a great thing for the community,” said Coun. Dan McCreary, noting that the city has a long tradition of horticultural excellence with more than 180 floral gardens.
The judging process is designed to motivate communities to collaborate in creating beautiful, sustainable and environmentally responsible spaces and enhance residents’ quality of life. Municipalities are judged on environmental action, heritage conservation, landscaped areas, floral displays, tidiness, and urban forestry and trails. More than 900 communities have participated in the event since its inception.
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Judges will tour the County of Brant July 18 to 20. Communities are awarded ratings from one to five blooms and could advance to national and international competitions.
“We are inviting Brant residents, businesses and organizations to join in the Communities in Bloom celebrations and prepare for the judges’ tour,” said Hunter. “Everyone in the County of Brant is encouraged to plant orange, pollinator and native plants, to tidy up their yards and spaces and implement sustainable gardening practices to showcase the county’s Communities in Bloom spirit.”
Residents can submit photos of their gardens on the County of Brant website and may be featured in its Brant in Bloom community profile for the judges.
In 1995, Brantford was named a Canadian champion in its class and, a year later, the city became a world champion in the Nations in Bloom competition.
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