Published Tuesday, 4th November 2025
Reigate & Banstead is celebrating a bumper crop of results from this year’s South & South East in Bloom competition.
2025 is the borough's most successful year to date in the annual awards, with seven of the nine green spaces recognised achieving the prestigious Gold standard.
Gold awards for our popular parks
The borough’s three most visited parks – Priory Park (Reigate), Memorial Park (Redhill) and Lady Neville Park (Banstead) – have all been awarded Gold. This is a welcome return to Gold for Priory Park and a first-time achievement for Lady Neville Park.
The judges were impressed by the cleanliness and accessibility of all three parks, as well as the variety of facilities available, such as the cafes, outdoor gym equipment and play areas. Sustainable planting schemes were praised for attracting pollinators and for a move to replace traditional annual bedding plants with longer-lasting perennials. The new mural at Memorial Park, the scooter zone at Lady Neville Park and the newly planted arboretum at Priory Park all received a special mention.
Stewardship of our natural environment
The council owns approximately 3,200 acres (1,300 hectares) of rich and diverse green space, encompassing large areas of open space, heathland and ancient woodland; along with some very rare and important habitats. Reigate Heath, Earlswood Common and Tanyard Meadows have each received Gold awards, reflecting a commitment to environmental sustainability and biodiversity.
The judges complimented the general maintenance of these countryside areas, such as keeping pathways accessible and the pro-active control of littering and dog fouling. They particularly praised the work of staff and volunteers to manage the natural habitats, including the use of barley straw at Earlswood Lakes to control algae, habitat restoration projects at Reigate Heath and Himalayan balsam removal at Tanyard Meadows.
Spaces that nurture community wellbeing
Green spaces are also vital community facilities that support reflection and wellbeing. Redstone Cemetery once again received a Gold award, while the Garden or Remembrance and Castle Grounds (both in Reigate) retained their Silver Gilt awards.
Judges admired the thoughtful planting that was in tune with the individual site requirements and conditions, as well as being beneficial to pollinators and wildlife.
A thank you to all involved
Cllr Nadean Moses, Executive Member for Green Spaces and Environmental Sustainability, said: “It’s wonderful to celebrate our beautiful and much-loved parks and green spaces. These outstanding results in the South & South East in Bloom awards are testament to the dedication of our Greenspaces team and the volunteers who give their time and energy to care for these special places – I want to thank all those involved.
“Their hard work and passion are helping nature to thrive in the borough and ensuring our parks and countryside can be enjoyed all year round. As autumn settles in, I encourage everyone to wrap up warm and explore the wonderful outdoor spaces in our neighbourhoods – there’s always something new to discover.”
Visit our parks and countryside pages to find out more.
