RHS rewards 'the Garden Village of Ulster'

The Northern Irish village of Broughshane, County Antrim, has been credited with two coveted awards in the Royal Horticultural Society's (RHS) Britain in Bloom competition.

More than 1,100 UK communities participated in the gardening charity's campaign, entering their floral displays, landscaping and environmental initiatives for judging.

Commenting on Broughshane's win and the quality of gardening standards exhibited this year, Roger Burnett, chair of the RHS Britain in Bloom national judging panel, told the Ballymena Times that the use of flowers for colour tends to be "more prevalent in the smaller communities".

He added: "The trend over the past few years to plant more sustainable species is really beginning to take root in many of the communities with imaginative plant combinations providing year round interest and colour."

The village of Broughshane is in the borough of Ballymena and has a population of approximately just under 2,400, according to the 2001 Census.

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