Horticultural champions across the city will be raising their watering cans today as Norwich basks in the glory of the city's success at the Anglia in Bloom Awards.

Norwich Evening News: Norwich is celebrating success at the 2013 Anglia in Bloom Awards.Norwich is celebrating success at the 2013 Anglia in Bloom Awards. (Image: submitted)

Norwich was crowned the best city – as well as being given a gold award in the category – at the awards which took place at St Albans yesterday.

Norwich's Mancroft Ward won the urban community accolade and was also presented with a gold award, and the University of East Anglia scooped the environmental quality award.

Terry Bane, who has been chairman of the Friends of Norwich in Bloom for the past four years, said he was absolutely delighted with the city's achievements and he said it was a great testament to the hard work of so many people across Norwich who work so hard to keep the city looking its best.

He said: 'There are lots and lots of people out there who do so much to keep our city looking good.

'It's about everybody working together.

'Thank you to everybody across the whole city who has contributed to Norwich in Bloom this year and who made the Anglia in Bloom judges so welcome.'

He said lots of people 'pulled out all the stops' for this year's floral campaign and that he was 'over the moon' with the results.

'This is the third year in a row Norwich has achieved the gold and that is a record for us.

'This is also the second year in a row that we have won the city category. It's brilliant.'

Mr Bane also spoke of how pleased he was that the Mancroft Ward – which he called the heart of the city centre – had won the urban community category.

About the UEA winning the environmental quality award, he said: 'I am so pleased for the UEA. I have got to know the team there over the last two years and I have been amazed at what they are trying to do. They have so much pride in what they do.'

Linda Parrish, assistant director of campus services at the UEA, said: 'We are delighted to win the environmental quality award in this year's Anglia in Bloom competition. The UEA campus is a beautiful, clean environment for our students to study, our staff to work and for our visitors to enjoy.

We are fully committed to environmental sustainability and endeavour to promote and inspire with initiatives to reduce, reuse and recycle to minimise waste across campus.

'We would particularly like to thank our grounds team for their contribution to the achievement of this award.'

Six counties compete in the Anglia in Bloom awards each year and this year's overall winner was Halstead in Essex. After Norwich's success yesterday, the city is now looking ahead to the RHS Britain in Bloom awards later this year. Norwich is a finalist in the city category and Mancroft ward has been shortlisted in the urban community category.