University leads City of Exeter to golden success in the Bloom Awards
The University’s long-standing expertise in horticulture and environmental responsibility has been recognised with a double gold medal at this year’s South West Bloom Awards.
As part of a coordinated effort by the City of Exeter, the University and its partners won gold in the South West Tourism Cup – one of several categories at the annual awards programme.
The University’s Grounds Department was then further garlanded with a gold in the Business, Leisure and Tourism category at the awards ceremony held in Torquay.
Previous years have seen the City and University apply separately in their respective categories. But for 2025, the University’s Ground Team coordinated the process, which included a tour by judges from the Royal Horticultural Society in the summer, when they visited the Streatham campus, Northernhay Gardens, and key city centre locations.
The tour was hosted by Dave Evans, Head of Grounds at the University of Exeter, Nicola Wheeler, CEO of InExeter, and Nick Mead, Commercial Operations Manager at Exeter City Council.
“This award reflects the deep-rooted horticultural excellence of Exeter and the power of partnership,” said Mr Evans. “From our conservation collections to our biodiversity corridors, we’re proud to contribute to a greener, healthier city that honours its past while embracing a sustainable future.”
Streatham is the largest of the University’s three campuses and is built around a country estate overlooking the city. The 300-acre site is a Registered Botanic Garden, and home to a range of exotic trees and shrubs as well as a network of ponds. The Grounds Team manages a mature tree stock of around 10,000, along with an arboretum, Italianate Garden, magnolia lawn, cherry orchards and a national collection of Azara.
Judges praised Exeter’s rich horticultural heritage, noting that Northernhay Gardens is reputed to be the oldest public open space in England, dating back to 1612. The University’s planting legacy, established by the Veitch nursery in the 1860s, still features rare trees and plants collected by the Lobb brothers and E.H. Wilson, preserving a living connection to the city’s botanical history.
Since its inception 10 years ago, InExeter has transformed the city centre through greening initiatives, working closely with Boyces Nursery, a local family-run business. Today, more than 140 hanging baskets and 50 square metres of planted areas flourish across the city, grown and maintained with environmental care and community pride.
“This Gold Award is a celebration of Exeter’s creativity, collaboration, and care for its environment,” said Nicola Wheeler, CEO of InExeter. “Our city centre planting, funded through the business levy, is grown locally from seed or cuttings and maintained sustainably with harvested rainwater. It’s a true community effort that makes Exeter welcoming and vibrant all year round.”
Cllr Ruth Williams, Portfolio Holder for City Management at Exeter City Council, added:
“This is a fantastic achievement for Exeter and a reflection of the pride we take in our city’s green spaces. It’s the result of tireless work by our teams, volunteers, and partners who care deeply about making Exeter a beautiful, sustainable and welcoming place for everyone. We’re delighted to see that effort recognised.”
South West in Bloom is one of eighteen regional competitions that make up Britain in Bloom, the biggest horticultural campaign in Europe. The aim of the communities that take part each year is to improve and regenerate their local environments, through the imaginative planting of trees, shrubs, flowers and landscaping, conservation and recycling projects, and to tackle issues, such as litter, graffiti and vandalism.
