Edgbaston garden recognised again.

A Community Garden and oasis for wildlife, in Edgbaston, Martineau Gardens is one of the very best in the UK – and that’s official. The Community Garden is among a record-breaking 1,476 parks and green spaces that will today receive a prestigious Green Flag Award. To celebrate the good news, Martineau Gardens are inviting visitors and volunteers to drop in for a cuppa on Tuesday 29 July at 12.30noon to watch the official flag unfurled beside the Pirate Shipwreck Play Area.

The award, handed out by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, recognises and rewards the best parks and green spaces across the country. A Green Flag flying overhead is a sign to the public that the space boasts the highest possible standards.

The Community Garden though only two miles from Birmingham city centre is a green oasis that is teeming with wildlife. There’s plenty for visitors to explore including woodland, glass houses, a formal garden, an orchard, vegetable plots, a wildflower meadow, a pond, a wildlife area with SLINC status and a ‘Shipwreck’ children’s play area. The Gardens also run an annual events programme and sell plants, produce and jams.

Caroline Hutton, Director, Martineau Gardens said on receiving the award for a fifth year running: “Martineau Gardens are a community-run garden that’s open for free to the public. This award is a tribute to the dedication of our volunteers who work hard to keep the gardens a beautiful and tranquil spot for Birmingham people to come and relax in.”

Keep Britain Tidy’s Green Flag Award scheme manager Paul Todd said: “We are delighted to announce yet another record-breaking year for Green Flag Award parks and green spaces.Quality green spaces are a vital resource for communities and that is why it is so significant that we have given out more awards than ever before.”