The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has launched a new award to recognise volunteers who maintain planted railway station platforms. The Cardross Community Organic Garden in Scotland has been named the first winner of the RHS Railway Stations in Bloom competition.
Judges were particularly impressed by the Cardross group's inclusion of various community members, including schoolchildren and Brownies, in their station activities. Other shortlisted stations included Alresford in Essex, Maghull in Merseyside, Wylde Green in Birmingham, and Keynsham in Somerset.
Volunteers at Alresford created a "dry garden" with drought-resistant plants, inspired by horticultural pioneer Beth Chatto, to cope with hot and dry summers. At Wylde Green, overgrown areas were replaced with pollinator-friendly plants, forming a "bee corridor."