Tenby's 'save a shrub' scheme is to have its official launch this weekend, with the town's Mayor encouraging everyone to get their fingers green and back the campaign that has been set in motion to coincide with the build up to this year's Britain in Bloom contest.

Tenby once again enjoyed success in the Wales in Bloom competition last year by winning the title of 'best small country town' for the 25th time, while the resort has gone on to be nominated to represent Wales in the coastal category of this year's Britain in Bloom awards.

This weekend sees the organisers of the awards, the Royal Horticultural Society, start their 'It's Your Neighbourhood' initiative, with communities across the UK coming up with their own ideas and launching their local campaigns.

Mayor of Tenby, Clr. Mrs. Sue Lane, who is also chairman of the Tenby In Bloom committee, has set up the 'save a shrub' scheme along with Pembrokeshire County Council, with the idea for anyone who may have any unwanted shrubs, trees or ornamental grasses to take them down to the civic amenity site at The Salterns where there will be a 'Tenby In Bloom' box available on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays for them to be recycled.

"I thought the scheme would be beneficial because of all the cutbacks across the country and also to help keep sustainable planting in the spotlight," explained Clr. Mrs. Lane.

"We've had a great response so far, which we're extremely pleased with, and hope that the official launch of the scheme this weekend will boost it even further.

"The shrubs have been coming in thick and fast, but the more we get, the better, as our gardeners can utilise them across the town and help make Tenby's gardens look better than ever," she said.

Since the RHS took over the running of the Britain in Bloom event in 2002, it has worked to ensure the competition extends past its image of hanging baskets, by insisting all entries support the environment and local community in even amounts.

With 66 communities in the 2010 Britain in Bloom finals, ranging from small villages to large cities, each group will play a vital role in making local environments better places to live.

The RHS launched this year's contest and the start of the RHS community gardening year on Wednesday with the beginning of the 'river of green' outside the Tower of London as 1,000 plants were planted by the RHS, City of London in Bloom group, school children, volunteers and commuters.

"If we can achieve a 'save a shrub' initiative like this in Tenby, then why not throughout the county and even nationally, where every recycling centre across the UK could have a 'save a shrub' box facility put in place," continued Clr. Mrs. Lane, who added that a 'Tenby in Bloom' Facebook group would also be launched this weekend to coincide with the project.