A town’s community garden has scooped a national accolade for creating a beautiful haven for locals to enjoy.

Tavistock Sensory Garden has been awarded a Britain in Bloom South West region award from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).

The beloved garden has been presented with an ‘outstanding’ award in the RHS 2025 ‘It's Your Neighbourhood’ category, in recognition of its wide appeal for residents as a quiet green refuge in which to chill.

The garden, on Plymouth Road, was judged by the RHS to be a ‘well-used garden for sitting and relaxing in peace and tranquility by the local community’.

Residents also attend public events throughout the year hosted by the garden with the tea shop providing refreshments and live music adding to the attractions.

Richard Jones, garden trustee, said: “It’s really encouraging and good for the morale of everyone, including the volunteers and trustees, to have our high standards recognised. It’s also encouraging to be recognised as a prized community asset and underlines how valued the garden is by the town as a whole.”

The community also keeps the garden thriving through regular donations via the town’s Rotary and Lions Clubs

Meanwhile, an active group of enthusiastic and knowledgable volunteers is vital in keeping the garden blooming, revitalised and appealing for repeat visits all year round. A bench made by a student, a stone sculpture and a wooden xylophone add sculptural interest to the garden.

The judges noted the garden is designed to be accessible to everyone of varying levels of mobility, whether visitors or volunteer gardeners, ensuring everyone can work on the flower beds.

The judges welcomed new head gardener Rob Smith to the sensory garden team and noted his creative future plans.

Praise was given to the sustainable nature of the ‘well-planted borders’ with raised beds made from recycled plastic, allowing everyone to assist with gardening. A well-maintained compost area and water collecting adds to the environmental ethos of the garden.

Wildlife is also encouraged with bird boxes and pollinators planted to attract insects.

Harry Smith, garden trustees chair, said: “The garden is cultivated by kindness through the hard work of lots of dedicated volunteers who commit themselves through all weathers throughout the year to keeping the garden an important asset of the town which so many of us are proud of.

“This has an important social aspect, rather than just gardening. It’s a rare oasis – a place of calm – where people can come and enjoy some quiet and rest and reflection. We are also educational, by hosting schools and helping them with gardening on their sites and have young people from the youth cafe here.”

Rob Smith, head gardener, said: “We are true to our mission as a sensory garden – to appeal to all the senses and that includes the the fragrance of the flowers and blossom, the colours and beauty and the sounds of nature and of the wind chimes.”

The award continues the gardens success with ‘outstanding' classifications in 2021, 2023 and 2024 and in 2021 the project also won the Westcountry TV Cup for an 'Outstanding Special Project' of the year.