Scottish community gardening groups celebrated at annual awards

Community gardening groups from across the country were celebrated at our annual Climate and Nature Friendly Communities Network event.

The annual seminar took place at Stirling’s Albert Halls on Tuesday 10 November with 200 people in attendance representing community gardening groups from all over Scotland. 

Aberdeen Communities Together, returning to the awards after being in the UK Britain in Bloom finals in 2025, won the Rosebowl, the most prestigous prize, as well as four others: the City Award, the Garden for Life Biodiversity Award, the RHS Scotland Award for Resilience and Overcoming Adversity (for Our Union Street) and the Caley Award – joint with East Lothian Council.

It was especially fitting that Aberdeen Communities Together scooped the Rosebowl as the celebration event not only marked 60 years of the Beautiful Scotland competition but 60 years of Aberdeen’s involvement in the competition too. 

Other winners on the day included East Haven Together, Cardross Community Organic Garden, Bonnie Dundee, and the rest of the winners can be found here.

The awards ceremony brought both Beautiful Scotland competitors and It’s Your Neighbourhood participants together and there was more success for the city of Aberdeen with 36 community gardening groups receiving It’s Your Neighbourhood certificates. 

Juliette Camburn, our Senior Community Initiatives Officer, said: “Congratulations to Aberdeen Communities Together for all of the awards picked up at this year’s ceremony - it is a truly fitting end to the celebration of six decades of Beautiful Scotland. Aberdeen City has played a monumental part in this story and their success is completely deserved. We know just how much of a city-wide effort it is to keep Aberdeen beautiful and this recognition is testament to the efforts of everyone involved. 

“To every community gardening group who received a certificate or award today, we’re equally proud of your efforts and commitment to improving your spaces. You are all doing so much across the country to restore nature and biodiversity to make our country and communities a better place for all and it’s wonderful to be able to celebrate everyone’s hard work together at our annual ceremony.” 

The efforts of our Climate and Nature Friendly Communities Network support the Scottish Government's recently published Public Engagement Strategy for Climate and Nature, which aims to engage the people of Scotland in meeting the challenges of a changing climate and biodiversity loss. 

Steven Shaw, Environmental Manager at Aberdeen City Council, said: "Absolutely delighted to win the Rosebowl on behalf of Aberdeen Communities Together.

"This award represents everything that's great about Aberdeen, the people, the city, the parks and gardens, it's an amazing achievement for us to win this and I've got for all of us and I've got many, many thank yous  to say to everyone when I get back to Aberdeen. Fantastic recognition for all the partners, the staff, the groups, everybody involved so I'm chuffed to bits. Thank you."

This year’s awards ceremony was made possible with support from The Abbey Group. 

It’s Your Neighbourhood is supported by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). 

The Climate and Nature Friendly Communities Network is made up of more than 200 community groups across Scotland, working together to make our country more nature friendly. 

If your group would like to join and receive free support, resources and become part of our network, click here to find out more.