TROWBRIDGE in Bloom is launching a new Family Friendly Garden category as part of this year’s competition to encourage more young people to get involved in the annual event.

The new category will form part of the group’s Residential Gardening Competitions, while there will also be the usual Community Pride, Schools, Allotments, Licensed Premises and Churches competitions.

Sarah Marshall, who is part of the TiB committee, came up with the idea for the new category, which requires gardens to have a low maintenance planting area, dining or entertaining area and play or activity area.

It does not matter how big the garden is as the focus is on the garden being a great place to spend time with the family. The judging weekend will take place on July 4 and 5.

Mrs Marshall said: “We usually get a lot of the same people taking part and some feel they need to have a super high quality garden to enter, so we decided to launch the new family category.

“We want to encourage more young families to get involved and the garden does not need to be huge, it just needs to have a planting area for plants, vegetables or flowers, as well as a seating area and a play or activity area.

“It can be very low maintenance as it is more about the atmosphere of the garden. Once the entry form is completed someone will be in contact to organise a time for judging.”

Competition entry forms for Trowbridge in Bloom are available on the Town Council web site from April 27 or alternatively, they can be picked up from the Tourist Information Centre.

Jennifer Polledri, chair of TiB, said: “As 2015 marks 800 years since the Magna Carta was agreed between King John and his Barons, the town floral displays will be in Henry de Bohun blue, yellow and white colours.

“We would also like to encourage retailers and businesses not only to purchase hanging baskets in keeping with the colour scheme of Magna Carta, but also create appropriate floral displays and eye-catching designs in their shop windows.”