Kingsbridge in Bloom
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We asked people to pen a poem to celebrate 10 years of Kingsbridge in bloom.
The poems will eventually be published in our 2017 porfolio for the RHS judges..
THANK YOU TO THE POETS - Read them below and enjoy! 
​10 Years of Kingsbridge in Bloom

When first, the tidying and planting began
And all the people stared
The Kibbers carried on their plan
To show how much they cared
 
Then later, when colourful blooms
Made all the people smile,
The Kibbers kept on trowelling
And went that extra mile
 
With hanging baskets up and down
Our Kingsbridge wins the day
And all the Kibbers have made our town
A blooming good display!
 
By Emma Peacock
​
Growing Pride
​

Growing pride
To green the grey:
Tested, tried.
Little steps,
A giant stride.
Enthusiasm, sweat,
Vision applied.
Colour, texture,
Form supplied.
Embrace community,
Reach wide.
Bees, birds and beetles
Here abide.
Cherish heritage  where
We reside.
For gold awards
Strove, vied.
Growing pride
A decade’s gone. The years have flown.
Our Devon town… the pride has grown!

By Gill Matthews
​
Kingsbridge in Bloom
​

Down Devon lanes you dare to drive, to a valley charmed by the sea,
and nestled there find a market town, a bustling community.
A journey hemmed by stitchwort, campion to name just two,
your mind is full of flowers before Kingsbridge comes to view.
Climb out your car and walk around, just take your time to see
a town that’s fit to burst with blooms and all of it is free.
There’s hanging baskets full of flair, hot beds where grasses sway;
our promenade’s a floral dream where schooners sail away.
Until at last it’s time to go; well one more cup of tea,
sweetened with a whisper, adding tint to your memory.
For deep beneath the grassy lawns a secret we assume:
a mass of dazzling daffodils springs Kingsbridge into bloom!
By Sally Hunt
​
Now we are ten
​

Take a simple market town, clothed about by hills and sea,
with wintry earth of red and brown; colourless land and leafless tree.
Now cautiously, the seasons creep, in stately and time-honoured way.
Green shoots abandon winter’s sleep; darling buds in March not May
Sudden shouts of vibrant colour, nodding heads of sunshine yellow
Bright green leaves, no longer duller, herald the annual flower show!
Here come our dedicated team, clad in boots and pale blue shirt
To bring to life this summers ‘scheme’; willing hands to dig the dirt!
Then weeks of planting, raking, weeding, nurturing each bed and plot
Of constant watering and feeding, in any weather, cold or hot.
Blazing Orange; Royal Reds; fountains of wood, cascading green,
plants of every shape and colour, each one vying to be seen.
The Day of Judgement is announced; last minute efforts to impress
Will our store of golden medals, be added to, by the R.H.S.
Our town has gained such joy and pleasure -
And so we raise 3 heartfelt cheers!!
To all of you, who wear pale blue
Thanks for ten triumphant years.
CONGRATULATIONS
By Anita Dunster
​
Just doing the best we can
​

We hope we’ve made a difference to this lovely town of ours
 By keeping it so beautiful with lots of pretty flowers.

 Environmentally friendly we always try to be
 And a low carbon footprint is there for all to see.

 We compost and recycle and hardly waste at all.
 And we're sure our work’s appreciated by creatures great and small.
​
By Mary Rossiter
​
​Fifty Shades of Blue
 
Trowel in hand, armed they come, Wellies march along,
The forks and hoes, weed around the rose, bulbs planted one by one,
Up the Recreation, down the Creek, and around the Embankment too,
Around the schooner, and into the beds, the Egret with alliums of blue
Eleven strikes, the tea is brewed, and coffees fluffy or black
A quick refresh, a fertiliser redress and weeds packed into a sack,
Dungarees, Dirty Knees, Woolly hats and the garden glove,
An army of blue , but a regiment of friends ...doing it for Love 
 
By Carol Gameson-Hughes

An Ode To Kingsbridge in Bloom
​

Kingsbridge seasons come and then they go
The flowers appear quite gentle and slow
Volunteers arise from winter slumber
If they slept in we’d have no wonder
 
Who are these angels dressed in blue?
If volunteered, it could be you
Please join this motley band of folk
As more are needed, it’s no joke
 
In winter we all show up and shiver
To dig and move plants with amazing vigour
And planning through winter is no mean feat
As each year more is planted and goals to meet
 
The bar has been raised even higher we fear
As it’s our 10th.anniversary of “In Bloom” this year
And again as ever we are aiming for gold
And extra surprises for the town I am told
 
By Brian Hill
​
New Species
​

A species new has been discovered
That Attenborough hasn’t covered.
A blue-backed worker is the creature,
Of Kingsbridge Town it is a feature.
They do not have a king or queen.
Collaboration reigns supreme.
Working together; and their toil
Improves environment and soil.
Across their habitat they swarm,
In winters cold and summers warm.
Industrious in all adversity.
Encouraging bio-diversity.
Removing litter and the weeds.
Planting flowers, sowing seeds.
This social species, rest they take
The Creeks End pub for coffee break.
‘Kingsbridge Improveus’ is their name
It’s what they do. It is their aim.
Not yet filmed on ‘Planet Two’
But YOU can spot them clad in BLUE.


​
​Seed of an idea
​

The seed of an idea
Becomes a vision clear
Germinates, takes root,
Gradually begins to shoot.
Tight-wrapped bud, still small
Draws strength from all
The leaves which spread and grow.
Now more people know.
Sturdy stem grows strong.
More people come along.
Bursting bud becomes the flower.
All from people power.
A common aim agreed.
Started with an idea seed!
By Gill Matthews
Kingsbridge in Bloom
 
There was a lady on her knees
Kneeling as if in prayer
I think that she’d been there for hours
Doing a great job there
Planting, trimming, watering, weeding
Has she Bats in the Belfry I ask
No, she says, just Love Lies Bleeding
As she continues with her task.
There’s a blaze of colour throughout our town
Spring, summer autumn and winter too
In rain and shine they kneel, eyes down
To give this beauty to me and you
 
So thank you team for all you do.
 
By Barbara Butcher
​
‘Kingsbridge in Bloom
​

Oh to be a gardener,
now that Spring is here!
The colour all around us,
bringing us so much cheer
Year in, year out for the last ten years,
our team of gardeners has toiled;
Giving us shows of magnificence,
as they dig and get their hands soiled
Each and every one of us,
when walking round the town,
Feels joy and admiration
for its fantastic floral gown….
Created by our diligent workers,
who are out in the heat, wet and cold,
Giving us a town to be proud of,
and ensuring that Kingsbridge gets GOLD!
By Sally Witts
​
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  • HOME
  • Organisation
    • Committee & Team
    • How We Work
    • Health & Safety
    • Constitution
    • Notable Planting Developments
    • Areas of Focus
    • Environmental Policy
    • Environmental Practice
    • Claiming Expenses
    • Legal Information
    • Webmaster
  • Help Us
    • Watering Needs
    • Make Contact
    • Environment - Plastics
  • Competitions
    • GARDEN COMPETITION 2022
    • RHS 2021 Portfolio + Online Submission + Pictures
    • RHS Certificates 2020
    • 2020 Virtual Garden Display Entry Form >
      • 2020 Garden Display Picture Entries
    • RHS Awards Structure
    • SWIB - RESULTS 2019
    • GOING FOR GOLD in 2019
    • Children's Sunflower Results 2019
    • RHS National 'Best Town' Results 2018
    • RHS 'Champions of Champions' Results 2018
    • RHS Judging 6th Aug 2018
    • 2018 Garden Competition Awards
    • RHS Judging 6th July 2017
    • IYN Judging 12th July 2017
    • AWARDS >
      • Britain in Bloom 2016 >
        • Britain in Bloom 2015
      • RHS Best Parks Award 2016
      • Previous Awards
    • Judging Guidelines
    • Portfolios & Guidance >
      • Portfolios
    • School Gardening
  • Galleries
    • General Pictures
    • QUEENS AWARD FOR VOLUTARY SERVICE 2021
    • KIB Post Lockdown 2020
    • Kingsbridge Town Videos
    • Neglect to KIB Pride
    • Kingsbridge Past by Postcards
    • Western Morning News Articles
    • RHS Judging Days
    • Primrose Line Railway Bridge
    • Church Street Gardens
    • Bees
    • Window Display
    • Beast from East
    • RHS - SWIB Judging & Awards
    • RHS - IYN's Judging & Awards
    • Hay Cart Restoration
    • Spotlight on Wildlife
  • Events
    • NOTICE BOARD
    • Seed & Plant Swap on Town Square
    • Prize Draw
    • Family Activity Trail
    • Tranquillity Trail
  • Support
    • Make a Donation
    • Sponsors 2020
    • Town Council
  • UPDATES
    • TEAM NEWS
    • Working Parties
    • IYN Newsletter
    • Planting
    • Composting Guidelines