SCOTLAND’S horticultural and gardening society has recognised the efforts of an influential figure.

Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society presented a certificate of merit to Rosemary Oberlander last Tuesday evening at Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Garden.

Mrs Oberlander helped ensure North Berwick was consistently ranked as one of Scotland’s best towns by a number of green-fingered judges.

North Berwick won the Rose Bowl – the top prize in the Beautiful Scotland awards – three times while Mrs Oberlander was chairwoman of North Berwick in Bloom.

She said: “I was very proud. I was very pleased to have been awarded the certificate – it is quite an honour.”

To be presented with a certificate, a person has to have been nominated by a member of the public.

Mrs Oberlander said she was unsure who had put her name forward but had her suspicions!

The certificate, presented to Mrs Oberlander by George Anderson, from the BBC’s Beechgrove Garden and honorary president of the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society, was “in recognition of your highly regarded and significant contribution to horticulture and gardening in Scotland”.

Mrs Oberlander, 52, stepped down as North Berwick in Bloom chairwoman towards the end of last year after seven years at the helm.

She said: “It was all enjoyable – it is hard to say a particular highlight. I have been involved with North Berwick in Bloom for nigh on 20 years, joining as a volunteer initially and working my way up through the ranks.

“They are just a nice bunch of people. It is a good group that I have left now and I am sure they will continue to go from strength to strength.

“What is really nice is being stopped by people on the street saying how nice the town is looking.”

The York Road resident told the Courier she was looking forward to spending time in her own garden and concentrating on her artwork rather than spending a couple of hours three to four times a week watering the 90 hanging baskets in the town.

She added: “I’m quite enjoying having a break at the moment. I will notice it more that I am not with North Berwick in Bloom come the summer when I used to water all the hanging baskets!”