Towns and villages across the district are being visited by judges this week and hope that the beautiful flowers and plants in both private and public gardens will impress.

Bakewell's moment of truth comes tomorrow. It will have a special installation representing different elements of its entry constructed by pupils from the infants school. The town is also holding a best-dressed window competition.

Tomorrow the judges will also visit Middleton, which came second in the village category and gained a silver award in its first year of entry.

Meanwhile, a Matlock school has been hard at work with green-fingered children tending to the soil at All Saints' Junior School.

Last month an open day was held at the school for Matlock in Bloom and the pupils escorted visitors on garden tours, showing why they won the gold award last year.

Over £300 was raised to go towards the school's next seed order and projects around Matlock.

Jan Leybourne, a teaching assistant at the school said: "The school has an abundance of produce growing, with apple orchards, fruit orchards and more - we're like a mini farm.

"Head teacher Caroline Newton has worked very hard and year six teacher Kevin Starkey has been very much involved, leading the gardening club."

In Tansley villagers have been preparing in the hope that they will improve on their past achievements in the competition.

Brian Taylor from Pride of Tansley said: "We've won prizes over the years but we've never managed anything better than a silver. This year we've been getting some tips and formed Pride in Tansley to improve our chances. It's a bit like doing an exam as there are three different categories we're judged on.

"It's been a team effort - Chris Knightley has put together our portfolio and I've done some noticeboards. We've also had the school involved."

Ruth Barlett's garden is the village's entry for The Frank Constable Award. Last year she won Tansley in Bloom Best Small Garden.

She said: "I'm trying to get the garden into some sort of shape after the rain. I keep bees so the garden is mainly flowers.

"I'm not bothered about winning but I get my rewards from people who stop to ask if they can take pictures of my garden.

"It's my main hobby and I like to give people pleasure from it."