Pictured above: (l-r) Hilary Hall, Chair of Birmingham City Centre Floral Trail, Toby Buckland of BBC Gardeners' World, Darren Share, Acting Head of Parks (Operations), Birmingham City Council.

The Birmingham City Centre Floral Trail, spearheaded by the Birmingham City Centre Partnership, has picked up two top awards in the 2009 Britain in Bloom competition - winning gold in the Urban Community category and overall category winner. 

The Trail beat nine finalists - including Manchester City Centre - to be crowned overall winner in its category at a glittering ceremony in Torquay last night.

The national accolades come less than a month after it won a gold award in the regional Heart of England in Bloom finals.

The Trail claimed the prestigious prizes for its success in combining floral displays with environmental projects to celebrate the city's industrial and cultural heritage. Seven of the features reflect the legacy of Birmingham industrialist Matthew Boulton in his bicentennial year.

The 19 features along the 3.5-mile route, which stretches from The Mailbox, through the city centre and down to the Jewellery Quarter, includes a floral Mini and flower-bedecked Wallace and Gromit as well as a planted lion and "dry" garden.

The Floral Trail was assessed by the Heart of England in Bloom judges in July and the national judges in August.  Both sets of judges lavished praise on the Floral Trail displays and environmental initiatives, and for Britain in Bloom, the comment was made that the Trail was 'miles ahead' of the competition in the category.

Hilary Hall, Chair of the Floral Trail Steering Group, said: "This is fantastic news for the City Centre and for Birmingham and I am very proud of our achievements this year. It has been wonderful to work with so many good people at the City Council, City Centre businesses and community groups to celebrate Matthew Boulton and Birmingham's heritage through our floral features." 

Jonathan Cheetham, Chair of Birmingham City Centre Partnership, said: "These accolades just go to show the real value of partnership working - everyone working together towards the same goal and enjoying the results. This year has seen an exceptionally high standard of floral displays, which is a real tonic to all those who live, work, visit and study in Birmingham."

Councillor Martin Mullaney, Cabinet Member of Leisure Sport and Culture at Birmingham City Council, said: "We are delighted to have won these awards. It is a fitting reward for the hard work that has been put in across the city that really brightens up Birmingham every year. This accomplishment is even more impressive when you consider the stiff competition we have had to beat from across the country to land the awards. I applaud everyone involved with the effort."