Bleadon will be judged against some of the best in Britain.

Weston Mercury: Kirsten Hemingway and members of Bleadon In Bloom who have entered the Britain In Bloom competition this year. Picture: MARK ATHERTONKirsten Hemingway and members of Bleadon In Bloom who have entered the Britain In Bloom competition this year. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

Bleadon In Bloom has entered the Britain In Bloom competition where the village will be judged against a new scoring criteria, meaning the community and environment are just as important as the floral displays.

As a result, participants will need to be mindful of the environment with their entries and the In Bloom group has also joined the Blue Campaign, a community nature project started by Fergus Beely.

It focuses on the idea that people contribute to wild habitats by leaving a piece of their gardens, schools, parks and road verges to let it grow wild.

People involved in the campaign are urged to show their pride for their work with a blue heart on a stake in the ground.

Weston Mercury: Kirsten Hemingway and members of Bleadon In Bloom who have entered the Britain In Bloom competition this year. Picture: MARK ATHERTONKirsten Hemingway and members of Bleadon In Bloom who have entered the Britain In Bloom competition this year. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

It also tells people to leave the area untouched 'as nature intended'.

Parish councillor and project leader, Kirsten Hemingway, said: "We live in a location with unique biodiversity and when we came together as a community to enter Britain In Bloom and saw one of the criteria was around the environment, we decided to take this to heart.

"Hence, when you drive or walk round the parish, you will see blue hearts made from recycled material to signify where we are letting the grass and plants just grow wild."

Bleadon In Bloom has put wildflower seeds in many places around the village, especially along the rhyne edge in Coronation Road.

The In Bloom group will be creating a map so people can take a walking tour of a trail through the village and bask in the beauty of the area.

As part of the preparation, villager Steve Smith has created owl boxes, using wood donated by Kitto Construction, to house the birds of prey during the breeding season.

He worked with naturist and broadcaster Chris Sperring to pick the perfect locations for the boxes.

Photographer Bill Hewitt said: "Chris was beginning a grass roots campaign in Portishead as part of its In Bloom entry and told us about it."

Mr Sperring and the Bleadon In Bloom group will hold an outdoor festival on Sunday to mark the start of the campaign.

The event will be held at Coronation Hall, in Coronation Road, from 2pm-7.30pm.