Passengers in West Yorkshire may have noticed a splash of colour at Todmorden of late, as a RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) garden has been recreated at the station.

Todmorden in Bloom brings colour to the heart of the Pennines by looking after small community gardens, hanging baskets and planters across the towns and streets of Todmorden and Walsden.

Last year as a joint venture they collaborated on a garden with the Friends of Todmorden railway station, which received a Gold award in the 2023 Yorkshire Rose Town Summer Award category.

They also won a Bronze Medal at the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park in the Community Boarders Category, which was sponsored by Northern, the UK’s second largest train operator.

The garden entry was created by taking inspiration from a local landmark, Stoodley Pike, where couples graffiti love messages and dedications to one another.

A replica of the Bronze Medal garden has now been recreated at Todmorden station for everyone to enjoy. Dedicated as the ‘Lovers Walk’ garden, it features Geraniums, Dahlias and Nigella among several other flowers, which are symbols of romance.

Shelia Greenwood,  from Friends of Todmorden and Todmorden in Bloom said: “We are proud and delighted to be representing Yorkshire in this prestigious national competition, it is a huge accolade for a small town like Todmorden and the Calderdale Line. The RHS have recognised our towns strong sense of community spirit, interesting horticulture, sustainability, and environment. We would like to thank Northern for their constant encouragement and all our supporters who have helped make this possible.

Kerry Peters, regional director at Northern, said: “I’d like to thank all our volunteers who have created a beautiful space for everyone to enjoy and for their continued work at Todmorden station. Our community partners are the heartbeat of the railway and we’re extremely proud to work closely with them to deliver such a wide-ranging positive impact for the north of England.”