BRIGHTON and Hove used to have an annual City in Bloom competition that boosted civic pride by encouraging plant displays across the city.

Unfortunately the council allowed this to fold in 2020 and we have now had a couple of summers without any flower displays, with our public flower beds left in a bad state and overrun by weeds.

City in Bloom was an inexpensive competition, just requiring a bit of co-ordination from the council. The only expenses were printing application forms and distributing them and local volunteers did the rest. The front garden competition was the most popular.

I am trying to bring back City in Bloom for next year and have started a petition to present to the council in October.

It can be accessed at www.tinyurl.com/cityinbloom

I hope that Argus readers can lend their support to us by adding their signature to the petition and we can get the city looking much better next summer.

Cllr Carol Theobald

President of Patcham Horticultural Society