EYE-CATCHING hanging baskets and flower tubs are set to lose favour with judges in this year’s Cumbria In Bloom competition.

Radical changes to the judging criteria for Cumbria’s towns and villages will downgrade brightly-coloured floral displays, horticulture expert Shelagh Todd has warned.

“Garish hanging baskets alone will not win communities the accolades as floral displays account for only 30 per cent of the total voting criteria,” said Ms Todd, a lecturer in horticulture at the University of Cumbria’s Newton Rigg campus, near Penrith.

“Now judges are looking for towns and villages which promote sustainable development, community involvement and environmental friendliness as well as horticultural enthusiasm.”

Grades will be awarded for long-term conservation projects, rewcycling initiatives, anti-litter and graffit campaigns, composting, landscaping and the permanent planting of shurbs and trees.

“Flowers are still important, but they need to be part of an overall community strategy to make lasting improvements to the area and people’s quality of life.”

To help prepare communities for the new criteria, Ms Todd and her colleagues at Newton Rigg are planning four days of special workshops.

“We’ve pulled together a team of experts who will be giving demonstrations and talks ontopics as various as composting, willow weaving, organic gardening, tree planting and flower selection,” she said.

Workshops will be held at Newton Rigg on February 2 and February 7, from 10am to 2pm, and at the Lakeland Agricutural Business Centre, Cockermouth, in March.

For further information or to book contact Sam Smith on 0845 8500744. or email trainingsolutions@cumbria.ac.uk.