Paignton Zoo Wins Gold at South West in Bloom Awards

Paignton Zoo is incredibly proud of its Gardens Team, who have been awarded the prestigious Gold Award at the South West in Bloom annual ceremony for the Business and Tourism category. This marks the first time the zoo has entered the competition, making this achievement even more thrilling.

The zoo’s entry included a specially planned tour for the judge, showcasing areas that have undergone significant improvement over the last twelve months. This included the new Lakeside path, landscaping at Brookside, and indoor gardens in Tropical Trails and Arid Lands.

240730 PZ Top Lake Greenery BC HR 1 — ^{The gardens at the zoo’s entrance have attracted a lot of positive comment this year.}

The judges were particularly impressed with the inviting, clean, and welcoming reception areas of the zoo. They praised the new plantings around the lake, the various sculptural elements, and the bee hotels that add interest to the landscape. The redevelopment of the desert house to incorporate the new porcupine enclosure, along with the theming of old and new world succulents, was also highlighted as a standout feature.

Hosted at the Bath Pavilion, this event saw around 300 representatives from local authorities, community groups, and businesses, all showcasing horticultural excellence in the South West. Paignton Zoo was just one of many entries from Torbay to be awarded Gold. Both Paignton and Torquay took home the Gold in the Towns category, thanks to the impressive work of Swisco, who were recognised in particular for their efforts with Abbey Park on Torquay seafront. Other local winners in the Business and Tourism category include Torre Abbey and Babbacombe Model Village, while Oldway Gardens Volunteer Group received Outstanding in the ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ category and were nominated to represent our South West Bloom region in the RHS Community Awards for Community Engagement.

Additionally, Babbacombe Bay was awarded Gold and Brixham received Silver Gilt in the competition. Other notable business entries from the Torbay area include Flour Flower (Brixham) with Silver Gilt, Babbacombe Inn (Babbacombe) with Gold, and Cary Arms & Spa (Babbacombe) with Gold.

Paignton Zoo staff Catherine Mortimer left and Chloe Ellis right received Gold award from South West in Bloom patron Lady Emma Fellows middle scaled e1728649267916 — ^{Gardens Curator, Catherine Mortimer (left), and Team Leader, Chloe Ellis (right), receiving the award on behalf of the zoo.}

Catherine Mortimer, Curator of Gardens at Paignton Zoo, commented:

“As a local organisation that advocates for wildlife conservation and living with nature, we believe it is important to be at the forefront of this competition. We are thrilled with this recognition and look forward to participating again next year. We encourage other local businesses to get involved, do their part in greening urban environments, and support community and volunteer groups that work alongside local parks teams, run by Swisco. These groups put tremendous effort into caring for cherished green spaces, significantly impacting making Torbay a welcoming place for tourists.”

Looking ahead, the Gardens Team already has some ideas on how to showcase the continued work on the Paignton Zoo grounds, including the newly revamped Crocodile Swamp and the soon-to-be-announced Zoo Allotments project, which will be developed on the former camel paddock. The zoo is currently seeking groups to collaborate with and volunteers to support this project, so if you would like to get involved, please email [email protected]

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