Since 2014, Vila-seca has been part of the Viles Florides – or Towns in Bloom – movement. Florida means flowery or blossoming. This project is promoted by the Confederation for Ornamental Horticulture of Catalonia (CHOC per its Catalan acronym) that encompasses the Catalan towns and cities that are working to improve their urban green spaces.
Vila-seca is one of the few municipalities that has been awarded four ‘Flowers of Honour’. This distinction is an acknowledgement of the municipalities’ commitment to restoring large green areas, such as the Torre d’en Dolça Park, the coastal area with its Pinar de Perruquet Park, and Séquia Major. In total, there are over 100 hectares of green areas maintained under sustainability criteria, with the involvement of schools and municipal institutions.
The contest also evaluates the care given to urban spaces, such as roundabouts, planters, window boxes and how landscaping is handled in industrial districts, as well as the ‘Flors del Centre’ – or Flowers in the Centre – campaign driven forward by the Town Council in recent years.
During the 2022 Honour Awards Ceremony, held in Tarragona, the jury panel for the Viles Florides recognised Vila-seca with the Pere Cabot Gold Flower for its history and experience, diversity, quality and level of adaptation, intense work in environmental education and excellent management of water and irrigation systems.
Beyond promoting the creation of green areas that are pleasing to visitors, the movement works to improve people’s quality of life and to raise social awareness on environmental sustainability and the development of local businesses through the quality of the public spaces and attractiveness of urban parks and gardens.
