DALTON scooped silver in the 'town' category at the 50th Britain in Bloom UK Final awards, Europe's biggest community gardening campaign run by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).
Mayor Daniel Greaves said: "The experience of entering RHS Britain in Bloom this year has been great. There was a lot of hard work which went into our entry. It has been great to see local community groups and volunteers pull together to make our town a better place.
St Mary's School was also awarded the RHS Britain in Bloom School Award.
An RHS judge said: "The recently installed garden is a result of the work of teacher, Hannah Croskery. Using raised beds, pupils design layouts, grow vegetables from seed, cultivate fruit and nurture plants to attract birds and bees. The garden also incorporates a greenhouse and a tree and plant nursery.
"Water is harvested from the school roof and suitable material is composted on site. Adjacent to the garden is an area with a pond set aside for wildlife education. The installation of a WW1 Commemoration Garden also allowed children to interact with elderly residents from local sheltered housing, adding to its educational value."
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