The Horniman Museum wins two London in Bloom awards
They’ve dug for treasures and now they are digging for victory.
The Horniman museum’s back garden has won two London in Bloom awards.
The gongs recognise efforts being made to respond to the challenges of climate change and global warming.
The gold award is given to gardens deemed outstanding (scoring 170 points or more out of a maximum 200), meaning they demonstrate best practise and consistency across all judging criteria.
The Heritage Parks and Gardens award was given following a judging visit in June to the Horniman Gardens’ 16.5 acres of green space in Forest Hill.
First opened to the public in 1895, the gardens are a mix of horticultural display gardens and parkland, with notable historic features including English Heritage-listed terraces, a 1930s arts and crafts-style sunken garden, numerous mature trees – some pre-dating the Horniman – and London’s oldest nature trail along the route of a former railway line.
The environment challenge award was judged by a panel of London in Bloom experts, and the Horniman’s entry highlighted its efforts to reduce water usage, waste and pollution, and promote biodiversity – from reusing waste water from the museum’s aquarium and recycling coffee cups to creating planting schemes and mini-meadows to support pollinating insects.
These are all part of the Horniman Museum and Gardens’ ongoing commitment, laid out in its climate and ecology manifesto.
Errol Fernandes, head of horticulture at the Horniman Museum and Gardens, said: ‘Taking care of historic gardens, using modern techniques with a focus on mitigating against climate and ecological crisis, and creating a beautiful and peaceful haven for our visitors can sometimes feel like a juggling act.
“We know how much our visitors value what we do but it’s especially gratifying to be recognised by our peers in the gardening community as well, so we’re delighted to receive these London in Bloom gold awards.”
The Horniman Gardens are free to visit and open daily except Christmas Day. For seasonal opening times visit horniman.ac.uk.
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