Yarmouth wins prestigious Communites in Bloom award

Town recognized nationally for floral displays

When it comes to making Yarmouth’s landscape beautiful each spring and summer, the town has been blessed with dedicated volunteers ready to get their hands dirty for an eyecatching outcome. This year, their efforts are being recognized across the nation.

Every year, Communities in Bloom Yarmouth NS (CIB Yarmouth), alongside numerous gardening volunteers, offers its time to beautify the town with a pop of colour in the form of floral blooms. Providing vibrant plant-based visuals, the organization’s hard work has delighted residents without fail during the warmer months — and apparently, those beyond the province.

Earlier this month, CIB Yarmouth’s displays garnered attention at the 2021 Communities in Bloom Virtual Symposium aptly tiled “Growing Great Places Together.”

A celebration of participating CIB communities throughout Canada, the virtual symposium saw regional groups recognized for various achievements following a juried evaluation on six key criteria: community appearance, environmental action, heritage conservation, urban forestry, landscape and floral displays.

Considering its beautiful floral decor, it’s no surprise Yarmouth was the recipient of the Plant and Floral Displays Award — joyous news for the community.

“This is a true honour for the Town of Yarmouth Communities in Bloom committee,” says CIB Yarmouth chair and town councillor Heather Hatfield. “A huge thank you to the town parks staff, the Yarmouth Garden Club and all the volunteers that put in endless hours to make this possible.”

In the past, Yarmouth has been the recipient of Communities in Bloom awards, including Heritage Preservation, Best Residential Flower Garden, Environmental Action, Butchart Gardens Land Reclamation Project (2015) and Urban Forestry (2018).

Considering the ecological challenges living near the coast can present, this year’s award means a lot to the town and everyone who seeded, planted and tended to the flowers.

“Growing beautiful flower displays in a seaside town can be challenging, and being judged against some of the best growing regions in the country can be a little intimidating,” says Hatfield. “But, this award proves that we are doing a great job.”

Meanwhile, with another tremendous achievement added to CIB Yarmouth’s credit, each volunteer’s help in receiving such prestigious recognition is undoubtedly appreciated. However, despite Canada-wide acclaim, the true award is the beauty, and picture-perfect aesthetics experienced right here at home.

To learn more about CIB, visit www.communitiesinbloom.ca/.