Championing floral projects and environmental initiatives in the town, led to Tenby being named a 'champion' in its own right at the Royal Horticultural Society Britain in Bloom awards last week.

As well as being awarded a Silver-Gilt in the 'Coastal up to 12K' category at the awards for the second year running, Tenby also picked up the 'RHS Britain in Bloom Tourism Award' which was presented to the finalist that demonstrated the most effective use of their local 'In Bloom' initiatives as a means of encouraging and supporting towns in their area.

"Participating in RHS Britain in Bloom has been a fantastic experience," said Clr. Mrs. Sue Lane, Tenby in Bloom's chairman.

"The whole town, residents, businesses, schools, youth groups and local organisations, have all worked together as a team to show Tenby at its best.

"I'm particularly proud and pleased at the way the local schools have participated.

"They have all now set up eco clubs and the infant school has even set up its own junior In Bloom committee," she continued.

"I am also pleased with the enthusiasm created amongst the local business community and their friendly rivalry to provide the best displays because it enabled our pride in our town to show through.

"We have learned an awful lot from the experience and look on it as a great achievement to have reached the finals and able to advertise Tenby as RHS Britain in Bloom finalists," she added.

This season, Pembrokeshire County Council have planted around 20,000 plants in Tenby's gardens, hanging baskets, flower troughs and also introduced railing flower baskets to the Esplanade and The Green areas of the town.

The authority's workmen not only deal with the resort's horticultural needs, but also ensure that the environmental side of the town is kept up to scratch, with regular street and beach cleaning, refuse collections, waste recycling and maintenance of the Tenby's street furniture.

Part of the initiative to brighten up Tenby's streets and gardens is the 'Save a Shrub' scheme set up by the Tenby In Bloom committee in conjunction with the county council.

It gives the opportunity for locals to recycle their unwanted shrubs, trees and ornamental grasses, in an initiative where they can be re-planted in areas around the town.

RHS Britain in Bloom, supported by Anglian Home Improvements, is one of the largest environmental campaigns in Europe, which works to improve people's lives through community gardening.

TV gardener and presenter Rachel De Thame hosted the prestigious RHS Awards Ceremony on Sunday, in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, with a record-breaking 470 community and gardening champions in attendance.

This year, around 200,000 volunteers from across the UK have collectively invested 4.4million hours (the equivalent of more than 500 years) of their free time to the campaign.

Chair of the RHS Britain in Bloom UK judging panel, Roger Burnett, led a team of 12 RHS judges who toured the UK in August visiting the 76 UK finalists, nominated from more than 1,000 participating communities.

The judges assessed against three key criteria: horticultural achievement, community participation and environmental responsibility.

Roger said: "Summer in Tenby brings a ten-fold increase in population, making tourism the most important part of the economy in this attractive historic town with its old weathered stone walls.

"The floral impact and the quality of the plants are of the highest order and live up to the photos in the tourist brochures. Floral contributions come from the Town Council, Bloom group, householders and a large proportion of the businesses.

"The hospitality industry is very active, with al fresco tables mingling with their floral displays to capture exactly the holiday town atmosphere, with the Giltar Hotel deserving a special mention," he added.