A blooming great effort by a Pembrokeshire village and a pair of seafront hotels has been recognised at a national awards ceremony.

Wales in Bloom handed out awards for floral fabulousness and gardening genius at its annual awards ceremony this week.

The ceremony was held in Denbeigh this year and entrants from all corners of Wales gathered to find out how they had fared.

A sunny June got entries off to a flying start in stark contrast to a cooler and wetter July and August. While gardeners worked hard to keep the displays flowering through the summer residents, visitors and judges were treated to some spectacular floral displays across Wales.

Saunderfoot’s stunning gardens saw the village receiving a Gold Award in the large village category.

Described as a ‘tumultuous battle’ the finals saw the Pembrokeshire seaside village in competition with Holt Community Gardeners and Usk in Bloom.

The judges said that all displays were ‘amazing’ but on this occasion, Usk in Bloom pipped Saundersfoot to the post to win the title.

Another Pembrokeshire seaside hotspot saw a ‘titanic battle’ take place between two Tenby Hotels for the title of best hotel front.

The neighbouring Giltar Hotel and The Atlantic Hotel in Tenby The fight for the best Hotel Front is always a titanic battle not just because they are next door neighbours but because it is a family battle between father and son.

Father and son Simon and George Rowlands are both gardeners at hotels on Tenby’s Esplanade.

George tends the magnificent blooms, trees and plants of the Atlantic Hotel’s seafront garden, while Simon has created a quirky floral masterpiece on the façade of the Giltar Hotel.

This year again both hotels were awarded Gold with The Atlantic Hotel coming out on top as winner of the best hotel or pub frontage category.

Tenby Connects was also judged as Improving in the It’s Your Neighbourhood category while Erw Dewi / Dewi’s Acre, St. David’s Community Garden in St Davids and Tabernacle Through Time in Pembroke were classed as thriving.

It’s Your Neighbourhood is a scheme for volunteer-led community gardening groups which are focused on cleaning up and greening up their local area. It provides groups with the chance to get involved in the wider RHS Britain in Bloom initiative.

Barton Price, chair of Wales in Bloom said: “2023 has been another successful year for Wales in Bloom with us seeing even more entries and ever increasing standards. “Our judges and assessors have certainly been kept busy this year traveling the length and breadth of Wales, meeting with a diverse range of people and amazing groups throughout their visits. “They are all to be congratulated in the success and triumphs they have achieved and continue to deliver. Congratulations to them all and a very big thank you from all of us at Wales in Bloom.”