Judges visited Wilmslow to give community gardeners tips on how the town can shine in the RHS Britain in Bloom competition.

Volunteers from Incredible Edible have been drumming up support for Wilmslow's RHS entry which is on an edible theme.

Businesses will be dressing up shop fronts with herbs, fruit and vegetables, planters and borders.

Now RHS judge Brian Whalley and North West In Bloom chairman Bill Blackledge have visited to advise the team how to compete against other towns in the region.

Design, colour and presentation will be marked, but elements such as recycling, litter, graffiti, signage and art in the landscape will be judged too. United community participation is high on the list. Helen Yates, from Incredible Edible, said:  “It’s about how small steps can make a big difference in improving our local environment and increasing our civic pride.”

Efforts include the scarecrow competition and wooden sculptures ‘The Apple,’ which is outside Wilmslow Station and ‘The Pear’, to be planted by the Jubilee.

Helen said:  “We need more volunteer, so that we can go for this in a big way. Volunteers can join in with the current plots, or if they have an unloved spot near them, they could work with friends and neighbours to take control of the land.

“It doesn’t have to be edible but why not make it useful as well as beautiful? We're improving the look of the town and relearning how to feed ourselves on our doorsteps and have fun doing it.”

A church, school, pub, street or neighbours can enter for an It’s Your Neighbourhood Award.

The judging will take place in late June or early July when judges will be given a tour and see a display of photos. See incredible-edible-wilmslow.co. uk. Volunteers meet at 2pm at Wilmslow Library on the first Sunday of each month.