LLANDUDNO has won the large coastal category of the Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) Britain in Bloom competition.

The town saw off competition from Bexhill-on-Sea and Newquay and earned a gold medal for the exceptional standard of its entry.

Llandudno’s show piece was the Great Orme limestone headland, an important conservation area, while other projects included the planting of disease-resistant elm trees and a community vineyard in Haulfre Gardens, harvested this year to produce its first wine.

Cllr Angie O’Grady, Mayor of Llandudno, expressed delight at the result, she said: “Llandudno has every right to be proud of itself, and I’m bursting with pleasure at it. The town was a hothouse of floral colour with a warm glow all over. Congratulations have to go to all who worked so hard to demonstrate Llandudno is the most attractive seaside town in Wales. It was a town team effort and everybody pulled together to show their town at its best. Particular thanks have to go to Peter Barton-Price, Area Manager Open Spaces at Conwy council and his team who made such and effort and worked so hard to help prepare the town for the RHS judges inspection.

Finalists were judged not only on their floral displays but environmental and community efforts. Each was visited by a pair of RHS judges over a fortnight from the end of July.

Darren Share, Chair of the RHS Britain in Bloom judges, said: “It’s incredibly humbling to hear about the huge efforts they’ve invested in making our villages, towns and cities greener places to live, work and visit.

“This makes a tremendous difference locally but has a wider impact too. Gardeners are increasingly having to respond to the changing climate, declining pollinator numbers and plastic waste and more communities are galvanizing people around these issues to bring about positive change.”

Finalists collected their awards from Baroness Floella Benjamin, RHS Vice President.