THE wait is over, and those shortlisted in this year’s Stevenage In Bloom competition have been announced.

Run by ARCH Plant Centre in Gosmore and backed by The Comet, In Bloom this year has six categories – Best Front Garden, Best Back Garden, Best Business, Community Project, Best Village Garden, and Best School.

The competition was open to all experienced and budding gardeners of any age and a full list of those shortlisted in each category can be found below.

Invitations to an awards ceremony on Wednesday, October 13, at the Ramada Cromwell in Stevenage Old Town, for all those who have reached this stage in the competition, are currently being sent out.

Sponsors for the contest include Stevenage Borough Council, Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation, Hitchin Town Centre Initiative, Andre Etienne Carpet and Floorcovering, Stevenage Community Trust, North Herts District Council, WJ Rowe Ltd, David’s Bookshop, allplas.co.uk and Garden Divas.

The final for Hitchin and Letchworth in Bloom will be held in December and the shortlist will be announced soon.

The shortlist for Stevenage In Bloom is as follows:

Stevenage Front Garden:

*Margaret Lowery, Canterbury Way, Stevenage

*Barbara Gwynne, Almonds Lane, Stevenage

*Sue Stein, Sacombe Mews, Stevenage

Stevenage Back Garden:

*Carole Bates, Broad Oak Way, Stevenage

*Noelin Serretta, Lonsdale Road, Stevenage

*Brenda Elliott, Gorleston Close, Stevenage

Stevenage Community:

*Helen Wolton, York Road, Stevenage

*Andy Eddington and Marion Body, Torquay Crescent, Stevenage

*Steve Nicholson, Archer Road, Stevenage

Stevenage School:

*Lonsdale, Webb Rise, Stevenage

*Fairlands, Pound Avenue, Stevenage

*Trotts Hill, Wisden Road, Stevenage

Stevenage Allotment:

*Mr P Tribe, Signal Close, Henlow

*Mrs E Altria, Oaks Cross, Stevenage

*Mrs M Williams, Knights Templars Green, Stevenage

Village Project (Stevenage area):

*Mrs P Laurie-Pile Snangleys Lane, Knebworth

*Angela Dent, Stevenage Road, Little Wymondley

*Tara McGovern, Ashwell Common, Graveley