THE DREAMS of thousands of green-fingered community workers will be realised or shattered in Perth next month.

It was confirmed yesterday the 43rd annual Britain In Bloom awards ceremony will be held in Perth on September 21.

The show will be hosted by Perth In Bloom in conjunction with Perth and Kinross Council, with over 350 gardening experts and enthusiasts from around the UK in attendance.

It will be presented, at Perth Concert Hall, by Lady Jane Grovsenor, president of Beautiful Scotland In Bloom.

Britain In Bloom is organised by the Royal Horticultural Society and is the largest horticultural campaign and competition in Europe.

Each year, volunteers take to the streets and parks to ensure they are clean, well tended, safe and colourful in a bid to impress the visiting panel of judges.

The 65 finalists, representing villages, towns and cities from 18 regions across the UK, will find out who has won a Britain In Bloom quality award of gold, silver, silver-gilt or bronze, and overall winner of their category at the awards ceremony.

Perth last won a Britain In Bloom gold award in 2004.

It is particularly fitting that the ceremony should return to Perth as it is the 200th anniversary year of the Royal Horticultural Society of Perthshire, believed to be the oldest such society in Scotland.

It is celebrating with a bigger than ever annual summer show in Perth Concert Hall this weekend.