Prizes were presented to businesses and residents in the town's own Malvern in Bloom competition.

Many pubs put on a good show with The Nags Head winning the licensed premises award, The Unicorn coming second and Great Malvern Hotel third.

Nicola Abrams, manager of The Nags Head, said the pub had won the competition before but this was the first time with her as manager.

"People always comment on the grounds and how pretty they look," she said. "It's inviting and it makes people want to come to the town and visit the pub."

The small business award was won for the first time by Annabell's hairdressers in Malvern Link. Malvern Tourist Information Centre was second and Lyttelton Well third.

Anne Twigg, owner of Annabell's, said: "I always do the front garden to give pleasure to people. Being a business, you've got to give something back. I like to do the garden to make people smile."

The large business award was won by MSM/DRH on Spring Lane. Second was Malvern Theatres and third Automated Packaging Systems on the Enigma Business Park.

The residents' garden competition was won by Brian Strain, of Graham Road. Edwin Jones, of Lygon Bank, was runner-up. Mr Strain has won the competition three times and spends about 30 hours a week working in his garden, getting up before 5am and still watering after midnight.

"My garden is the love of my life after my wife," said Mr Strain.

Runner-up Mr Jones was entered into Malvern in Bloom by a friend and was surprised to do so well, as he believes this is the worst his garden has looked.

"I think my garden looks very poor this year but everybody's in the same situation with the hot, dry weather," he said.

The judges, local horticulturalists David Franks and Mike Read, also gave special awards to the Abbey Hotel and Barnards Green House.

Sue and Philip Nicholls, of Barnards Green House, have never entered Malvern in Bloom but were recognised for their high horticultural standards and opening their garden to the public under the National Gardens Scheme for almost 30 years. The garden is open for the last time this summer.

Winners were presented with prizes yesterday (Thursday), the first-placed businesses were given engraved plates and residents garden centre vouchers.