Granite City was victim of its blooming success

Aberdeen earned the nickname “the boom and bloom city” in the 1970s after the discovery of oil and record-breaking back-to-back Britain in Bloom wins.

The Granite City with the floral heart holds 14 gold Britain in Bloom titles, but not everyone was thrilled with its run of success in the early years.

With a global reputation for its flower displays, Aberdeen had long been considered the flower capital of Scotland even before the days of national competitions.

With its eye-catching floral flourishes – and the efforts of green-fingered residents – there was no question that Aberdeen would enter Britain in Bloom when it started in 1963.

It was introduced by the British Tourist Board, a precursor to VisitBritain and taken over by the Royal Horticultural Society in 2002.

Aberdeen was crowned “Britain’s city” in 1965.

The success was largely attributed to the imagination and enthusiasm of the city’s director of parks, the aptly named Mr Winning, who along with its citizens had “done the city very, very proud”.

In 1966 a Festival of Flowers was held at Westminster Abbey in London. Aberdeen was to lead the global celebration of flora and was put firmly on the map as the flower capital of Scotland.

Aberdeen continued to do well in the Scottish awards, taking the trophy every year, but it was 1969 before the city was supreme champion at the national contest again.

After a run of at Britain in first floral success Bloom

– including a hat-trick of wins from 1969-71 – there were reported to be “murmurs of discontent” from other regions.

In 1972, Aberdeen was conspicuously absent from the British finals of the horticulture competition.

To this day, rumours remain that Aberdeen was handed a decade-long ban for being “too bloomin’ good” for the annual Britain in Bloom contest.

Winners of trophies in the Scottish awards had previously gained automatic entry to the United Kingdom competition but, sensing wider resentment, the British Tourist Authority brought in a new rule.

Following the city’s hattrick, it was decided that any community which had won the national trophy two years in a row would not be eligible to win again the following year.

As soon as it was allowed to compete again, in 1973, the city went out of its way to bring home gold again.

The city council planted more than 250,000 roses in streets and parks, while the resurrected Duthie Park Winter Gardens’ splendour left visitors “wide-eyed with astonishment”.

Yet another title win in 1977 was attributed to the work of David Welch.

The celebrated horticulturist was appointed city council director of leisure and education in 1967.

Mr Welch ruffled feathers when he arrived at the city council and said he wanted to replace turf with more attractive, and less high maintenance, roses.

However, his foresight paid off.

The city took home eighth trophy in 1979.

Aberdeen’s Bloom ban remains a popular urban myth, but the RHS has confirmed that the city floral its was never barred from the competition.

Aberdeen won the national Britain in Bloom title again in 1987, with several Beautiful Scotland accolades in between.

It took the RHS’ top gold medal again in 2006, 2014 and 2016, as well as the Champion of Champions in 2017 and 2018.

Covid-19 nipped all gardening shows and competitions in the bud last year but, far from being banned, Aberdeen finds itself up for award success in a scaled-back contest this year.

It has been shortlisted in a variation of the Britain in Bloom competition for 2021, the RHS Community Awards. The virtual awards replace the annual Britain in Bloom finals this year.

The focus is on recognising the efforts of 63 community groups, including Aberdeen Communities Together.

FLORAL DELIGHTS: Some of the displays which have impressed judges over the years and helped Aberdeen enjoy Britain in Bloom success.