Welwyn Hatfield in Bloom 2019 Portfolio FOREWORD CONTENTS Welwyn Hatfield in Bloom 2019 Welwyn Hatfield in Bloom 2019 02 03 We were absolutely delighted to achieve a silver award for our borough last year. It was a fantastic 20 14 FOREWORD 02 way to celebrate the hard work and achievements of our council officers, contractors and volunteers. INTRODUCTION 04 BEST TOWN CENTRE This year, we have taken on board the feedback from the judges last year Welwyn Garden City 08 and we have entered into a number of different categories, which we are excited to share with you. BEST VILLAGE Lemsford 14 We have made improvements to our street furniture and open spaces in Essendon 16 Welwyn Garden City, whilst developing stronger links with our BID team. BEST TOWN We are continuing to prepare Welwyn Garden City for the centenary Welwyn 20 year in 2020 which will be an opportunity to further showcase our horticultural achievements. BEST CEMETERY Foreword by Cllr Stephen Boulton The Lawn Cemetery 24 Executive Member for Environment We have also focused on highlighting more work that our fantastic and Planning volunteers and community groups do throughout the year, particularly BEST WOODLANDS in our woodlands. Sherrardspark Wood 26 We hope you enjoy reading our portfolio and CALENDAR OF EVENTS 30 we look forward to seeing you on judging day. 08 24 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION Welwyn Hatfield in Bloom 2019 Welwyn Hatfield in Bloom 2019 04 05 OurOUR Plan VISION on a ANDPage PRIORITIES 2018-21 Working better, together OUR LOCATION Our To work together to keep Welwyn Hatfield a great place Vision to live, work and study in a vibrant and growing economy The borough is located in central Hertfordshire covering an area of approximately 130 square Our Community Our Environment Our Housing Our Economy Our Council kilometres. Around 79 percent of the borough is currently designated as part of the Metropolitan Our Green Belt. Priorities The borough is made up of two new towns; Hatfield and Welwyn Garden City and a number of large and small villages providing a mix of urban, Safe Communities Clean Streets Quality Landlord Sustainable Growth Value for Money suburban and rural areas, each with its own identity and character. Our Public Health Waste & Recycling Housing Need Investment & Equality & Regeneration Fairness Sport & Leisure Green Spaces Affordable Homes The area boasts a number of conservation areas, listed Objectives Neighbourhood & Customer First Art & Culture Parking Housing Quality Town Centres buildings, areas of archaeological significance and currently, Employer of four registered historic parks and gardens. Integral to this built Business Friendly Choice environment are the trees, verges and urban woodlands. www.welhat.gov.uk/businessplan Our Fairness Integrity Respect Values Innovative Responsive Transparent INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION Welwyn Hatfield in Bloom 2019 Welwyn Hatfield in Bloom 2019 06 07 Many thanks for seeing through the tree work for me in my garden, your oversight was very much appreciated. Compliment from resident, 2018/19 OUR WORKLOAD Congratulations on your Anglia in Bloom We are responsible for cutting nearly 3 million m2 triumph. What a Garden City Star you are! Compliment from resident, Autumn 2018. of grass and also care for conservation grasslands, wildflower grasslands and ecotones. Many thanks for all the tree planting around my area. I have lived in WGC for over 80 years We manage nearly 100 km of hedges and conservation hedges – this is and like to see the place kept as a garden city, the equivalent of travelling from our borough to Cambridge and back! as it should be. We maintain more than 40,000 individual trees, 207 tree-belts and 43 Compliment from resident, January 2019. primary and secondary woodlands, in both urban and rural areas across the borough. I would like to thank you for clearing the leaves. It was very much appreciated and thank you. We also plant in excess of 80,000 bulbs, plants and bedding each year for our residents and visitors to enjoy. Compliment from resident, December 2018. The hedges were cut and I would like to place on record my thanks for such a great job. Compliment from resident, September 2018. BEST TOWN CENTRE BEST TOWN CENTRE Welwyn Hatfield in Bloom 2019 They look amazing - adds a little bit more Welwyn Hatfield in Bloom 2019 08 09 to this already outstanding town centre. Compliment from visitor, Summer 2018 They are beautiful. Perfect for a garden city. Thank you BID. Compliment from visitor Summer 2018 BEST BID/TOWN CENTRE They are gorgeous. Well done. Compliment from visitor, Summer 2018 WELWYN GARDEN CITY They are amazing! And make the town Welwyn Garden City was founded by Sir Ebenezer more enticing! Howard in 1920, who aimed to combine the Compliment from visitor, Summer 2018 Horticultural Achievement benefits of a city and the countryside. Looking even nicer than usual Welwyn The town is laid out along tree-lined boulevards and every road has Garden City. We plant Spring and Summer bedding a wide grass verge and some fantastic open spaces for residents and Compliment from visitor, Summer 2018 annually in our town centre, as well as visitors to enjoy. Lovely! We commented on them as we maintaining grass, shrubs and rose beds. The Welwyn Garden City BID is a not-for-profit company set up by walked round the town today. businesses in Welwyn Garden City town centre and is supported by For the second year in a row, the BID team has installed a Compliment from visitor, Summer 2018 government legislation to improve the area. number of planters for residents and visitors to enjoy. This year, the Council have worked closely with the BID team Their vision is to create a town centre which is innovative and modern, I was thinking the other day to ensure that all flower displays will complement each other. built on the unique garden city principles and characteristics, making it I wanted to thank someone for a great place to visit, work and live. them. They’re lovely. Thank you! Compliment from visitor, Summer 2018 BEST TOWN CENTRE BEST TOWN CENTRE Welwyn Hatfield in Bloom 2019 Welwyn Hatfield in Bloom 2019 10 11 Environmental Responsibility Community We work closely with the BID team to keep Participation the town clean and tidy, providing advice to businesses on responsible waste management. Throughout the year, the BID team host a number of events: This year, we have introduced a programme of street washing in the two town centres and our shopping parades. • The BID team have recently organised a To mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, a fountain was erected community clean up in the town centre. in Parkway in 1953. We clean the fountain on a weekly basis and dye the • Other events have also been arranged, such as water during some months to support charities. For example, we support World Environment Day. breast cancer awareness month in July and this summer we have • 2020 will be a very special year for the decorated the fountain and surrounding hedges to promote and support borough as we will be celebrating its Alzheimer’s Society. 100th year. We provide and look after street furniture, A fantastic year of such as benches, bus shelters and street celebrations lies ahead name plates. We always ensure that any for Welwyn Garden City street furniture is appropriately placed for our in 2020, planned by the residents and visitors, and is in keeping with the Welwyn Garden City surrounding environment and its heritage. Centenary Foundation, to celebrate the town’s rich This year we have refurbished or replaced 25 and diverse history. benches and 20 litter bins. We have also refurbished and introduced new posts and rails to protect grassed areas and shrubs. BEST TOWN CENTRE BEST TOWN CENTRE Welwyn Hatfield in Bloom 2019 Welwyn Hatfield in Bloom 2019 12 13 The ‘All Aboarders’ WGC Station was opened in 1926 and in keeping with the ethos of the town, the station included several flower beds and shrubberies. The station adoption group was formed in March 2018, with the aim of restoring and replanting the existing flower beds and maintaining the trees and shrubs that had not been maintained for some time. In addition to this, the group has installed wooden planters and have transformed the station environment. The group now have 16 gardening volunteers and last year volunteered over 300 gardening hours over 9 months. The group has received help and support from Govia Thameslink Railway, a number of local businesses and charitable organisations and other local The aims and activities of the group are: organisations, including the BID. In addition to this, residents have given £250 in donations, plus plants. • To improve the environment of Welwyn Garden City train station and surrounding area. In May, the group made arrangements to rescue bulbs and plants destined • To promote volunteering opportunities. for composting by the Council, as part of the town centre’s rejuvenation • To contribute to the social and economic regeneration of the town. of beds and borders. The bulbs and plants – hyacinths, tulips, narcissi • To improve knowledge of horticulture and the environment. and primulas – have also been shared with Digswell Community and • To improve the bio-diversity of the area. Gardening Project. • To promote the heritage of the station and rail travel. • To promote a sustainable environment. It is a great example of how we can all work together to increase our sustainability of planting and has also brought community groups together. BEST VILLAGE BEST VILLAGE Welwyn Hatfield in Bloom 2019 Welwyn Hatfield in Bloom 2019 14 15 Lemsford Springs contains an BEST VILLAGE old watercress bed which is a valuable habitat – particularly for water birds, as it does not freeze LEMSFORD in cold winter weather.