Local care homes celebrate triumph at Bury in Bloom 2025

Two local Suffolk care homes are celebrating after blossoming to success at this year’s Bury in Bloom competition.

Care UK’s Davers Court, on Shakers Lane, were crowned overall care home winner and received a Gold Medal in the care home category.

This year’s Bury in Bloom theme was trains, and Davers Court fully embraced it. 

Works on the now award-winning gardens at Davers Court began at the start of the year, with residents and team members building train station signs. Then, the home’s very own gardening club set to work on miniature train tracks, created from recycled wooden pallets, which were also used to create hanging gardens. 

Residents’ artistic contributions were also recognised when Greenfingers judges admired paintings by resident Tessa Taylor. One of Tessa’s artworks was even featured on the competition certificates, and she was presented with gorgeous flowers, a proud moment for the home.

Sophie Evans, Home Manager at Davers Court, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be named overall care home winner and to receive a Gold Medal at Bury in Bloom.

“The team works tremendously hard to ensure our outdoor spaces continue to look impressive, and that the garden is a calming place for residents to enjoy. Residents look forward to Bury in Bloom each year, especially when the competition heats up between us and our friends over at Glastonbury Court, who we spend a lot of time with!

“I’d like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to the team, residents and relatives who have worked tirelessly and supported us to make this happen – it feels blooming fantastic to win this award!”

Meanwhile, Glastonbury Court, on Glastonbury Road, collected multiple accolades, including Greenfingers Awards for Inspirational Gardener (Barry Stokes), Pride in Our Patch, and a Gold Medal in the Care Home Category. 

To earn the distinctions, residents transformed an old water butt into a colourful train planter and selected the flowers to fill it. The weekly gardening club also grew potatoes, strawberries, tomatoes, cabbages, and lettuces. 

Care team member, Lizzie Little, designed a train-themed painting for the garden, which was then varnished for outdoor display by resident Barry Stokes, 78. Before moving to Glastonbury Court, Barry was a keen gardener who grew vegetables in his greenhouse, and he also helped create a miniature train set from a recycled cable reel for this years garden. The gardens were enjoyed by residents, families, and the wider community during the home’s Summer Fete.

Barry said: “It was such a lovely surprise to win the Inspirational Gardener award, I wasn’t expecting to personally win anything!”

Ana Mihai, Home Manager at Glastonbury Court, said: “We’re thrilled with our multiple Greenfingers Awards, especially Barry Stokes being recognised as Inspirational Gardener! The dedication of our residents and team really shone through in this year’s train-themed gardens, and we’re already looking forward to competing for gold again next year.”

Davers Court and Glastonbury Court are both modern care homes providing full-time residential, dementia and respite care, with Davers Court having also opened a new day centre. Designed to enable residents to live enjoyable and fulfilling lives, the homes have their very own cinema, hair and beauty salon, and pub—and there is plenty of space, both indoors and out, for relaxation and recreation.