Cultivating Pride in Our Town
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2014 Cultivating Pride in our Town Contents Page No. 1. Introduction 1 2. Achievements 2013-14 3 2.1. Horticultural Achievement (A) 3 2.1.1. Impact (A1) 3 2.1.2. Horticultural Practice (A2) 5 2.1.3. Residential and Community Gardening (A3) 7 2.1.4. Business Areas and Premises (A4) 13 2.1.5. Green Spaces (A5) 14 2.2. Environmental Responsibility (B) 16 2.2.1. Conservation and Biodiversity (B1) 16 2.2.2. Resource Management (B2) 19 2.2.3. Local Heritage (B3) 20 2.2.4. Local Environmental Quality (B4) 21 2.2.5. Pride of Place (B5) 22 2.3. Community participation 22 2.3.1. Development and Continuity (C1) 22 2.3.2. Communication and Education (C2) 22 2.3.3. Community Participation (C3) 23 2.3.4. Year-round Involvement (C4) 24 2.3.5. Funding and Support (C5) 24 3. Proposals July 2014 - June 2015 25 4. Sponsors, Supporters and Contacts 25 Above - St Neots in Bloom 2014 launch. Poppy and corn marigold seed sowing at Sudbury Meadow. 05/04/14 1. Introduction St Neots is spread out on either side of the River Great Ouse, with only one crossing within the town boundaries. This portfolio aims to highlight some of the less accessible places and floral displays which St Neots in Bloom is unable to show the Anglia in Bloom judges during their tour. We hope that it provides an insight into the work done by many people to improve the environment of our lovely, riverside town. Abbreviations used throughout the document HDC - Huntingdonshire District Council SNTC - St Neots Town Council ESCA - Eatons Community Association EVA - Eynesbury Village Association LFCA - Love's Farm Community Association Bpha - Bedford Pilgrims Housing association Judging area The judging area for St Neots in Bloom covers the St Neots Town Council electoral wards of St Neots Eaton Socon, St Neots Eaton Ford, St Neots Priory Park, St Neots East and St Neots Eynesbury. Continued occupation of the developing Love's Farm housing estate in St Neots East ward, has brought the electoral role to approximately 23,846. Priory Park Ward Eaton Ford Ward East Ward Eaton Socon Ward Eynesbury Ward (Ward boundaries are shown in pink) - 1 - Community St Neots continues to expand, with yet more houses being built at Love's Farm and off Barford Road in Eynesbury ward. St Neots in Bloom tries to maintain contact with the expanding communities through community groups where they exist, 'Friends' groups, schools and the local media, as well as its own website and Facebook page. With so many notable national events happening through 2014, St Neots in Bloom decided to encourage commemoration of WW1 through the sowing of poppies as its main theme, followed by celebrating Britain In Bloom's 50th Anniversary, by growing something yellow. Committee for 2014 Officers: Chair - Alison Pearson (Chair of meetings, portfolio and route planning co-ordinator, media and promotions.) Vice-chairman - Tom McCormick Hon. Treasurer - Barry Stonham OBE FIH Hon. Secretary - Lin Buck (Schools liaison, route planning). Committee members: Katie Baldwin (Facebook manager) Ian Webb (Commercial Frontage Award judge, photographer) Stuart Carter (Commercial Frontage Award judge) Adrian Usher Allocated St Neots Town Councillor on the committee: Councillor Barry Chapman - May 2013 - 2014. No one allocated for 2014 -15. Above - Blossom time at Eaton Ford Green. 09/03/14 - 2 - 2. Achievements 2013 - 2014 2.1. Horticultural Achievement (A) 2.1.1. Impact (A1) On the following pages are pictures of some of our wonderful local authority displays from late summer 2013 through to late spring 2014. Late summer and autumn 2013 Above - Eaton Ford Green. (SNTC) 31/07/13 Above - Eaton Ford Green. (SNTC). 04/09/13 Above - Bright display at Eaton Socon Green Above - Raised display at The Paddocks. (HDC) (SNTC). 31/07/13 26/09/13 Above - Two of many delightful Above - Stunning Market hanging baskets in the town centre Square tiered planter (SNTC). (SNTC). 12/09/13 30/07/13 - 3 - Above - Eynesbury Green raised bed (SNTC). Above - Eynesbury Green (SNTC). 11/09/13 31/07/13. Above - Crosshall Road display (HDC). Above - Cambridge Street display (HDC). 13/08/13 30/09/13 Above - Jubilee Garden with annuals and Above - Central border of St Mary's Church, St perennials vying for attention. (SNTC). 12/09/13 Neots, Memorial Garden. (SNTC) 01/08/13 - 4 - Winter-Spring 2013-14 It was rain rather than snow and frost which was the feature of winter 2013-14. The pansies in many displays sulked for a few months, but burst back into life in the mild spring, along with primulas, hyacinths and daffodils. Above - Cheerful primulas in late winter at Above - Spring colour at Eynesbury Green. The Priory Centre courtyard. (SNTC) 06/03/14 (SNTC) 19/03/14 Left - Colourful planters at Jubilee Garden (SNTC) 31/03/14 Above - St Neots Garden of Rest. (SNTC) Above - Dramatic tulips at Eaton Ford 14/04/14 Green (SNTC) 18/04/14 2.1.2. Horticultural practice (A2) Continuing reductions in HDC's Grounds Maintenance budget during the last ten months has seen grass cutting reduced in many places to once a year. Whilst this has benefits for wildlife, e.g. an increase in insects which benefits birds, it has not pleased some residents - 5 - in St Neots. As a result, SNTC has taken over a few sites to provide regular grass cuts. SNTC continues to cut the grass on Village Greens, around play areas and in Churchyards on a weekly basis during the growing season. SNTC recognises that high impact floral displays add to the town's visitor experience so works with plant supplier John Banks, of HFR Banks and Son, Bushmead, to create good quality, colourful displays each year. This year Pitch Care's peat-free Tree Planting Mulch Compost was added to flower beds to improve them. Weekly inspection, dead heading and weeding of bedding displays help ensure they look good for the maximum amount of time. HDC has a number of displays in the town too and also maintains them to as high a standard as the budget allows. Hanging and barrier baskets are provided in the town centre by SNTC. A slow release feed is added to both by supplier HFR Banks and Son. All SNTC planters have inbuilt water wells to reduce wastage. SNTC is able to water its displays as necessary, extracting water from the river, whilst HDC waters less frequently. There are a number of permanent plantings around the town. All are mulched to reduce water loss and help to reduce weed growth. HDC mulches with wood chips whilst SNTC favours the use of gravel. Above - Newly planted gravel bed by the Above - Gravel bed at Priory Centre Oast House at Priory Centre courtyard. courtyard. (SNTC). 26/11/13 (SNTC). 11/06/14 The permanent planting in a raised bed at Jubilee Garden is our nomination for a Special Award for a Drought/Sustainable Garden this year, with the emphasis on 'Sustainable'. The garden is managed by SNTC and contractor Alison Pearson, who takes care of the plants. Not all the plants are specifically drought tolerant, as the site actually doesn't dry out too much, due to a large amount of rotted woodchip that was rotavated into the soil during a 2012 refurbishment, and a thick gravel mulch. No membrane is used, so plants can easily be moved around and replaced if necessary. Above - Lots of late colour and height Above - View from the river bridge. (SNTC) complimenting the annual bedding display at 11/06/14 Jubilee Garden. (SNTC). 26/09/13 - 6 - The garden does sustain a small amount of damage from people walking on it to have their photos taken in front of the St Neots sign, or from youngsters walking along the walls and across the edge of the garden. As a result, brittle Sedums were removed from a vulnerable corner and replaced with experimental Ericas in October 2013. Other new plants for 2014 are Millium effusum 'Aureum', Heucherella 'Berry Fizz' and Phlox douglasii 'Scarlet Flame'. They replace under-performing plants or in the case of the Phlox, ones which had died in the wet winter. Groundcover is a feature of the highest part of the garden with geraniums smothering the ground and providing masses of nectar for bees and bumblebees in spring. 2.1.3. Residential and Community Gardening (A3) Allotments and community gardening For the fourth year running, St Neots in Bloom sponsored the Floral Art category at St Neots and District Gardening Club's Annual Show in August 2013, to raise awareness of the campaign. The club's principle aim is to improve the horticultural skills of its members. We are sponsoring the same show category this year which will include an arrangement to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Britain in Bloom. A selection of pictures from the 2013 Annual Show. 10/08/13 There are five allotment sites within the judging area, three privately owned and two run by SNTC. SNTC has tried reducing the size of some of its plots to reduce the waiting list and make the plots more manageable for busy households. Left - River Lane private allotments, next to Riverside Park. 14/05/14 - 7 - Private gardens St Neots in Bloom continues to encourage private gardeners to take care of their front gardens, through its Best Front Garden competition (See Section 2.3.3). ESCA also encourages local gardeners to share their enthusiasm by holding an annual Eatons Community Open Gardens event to raise money for local community groups. This year's event took place on June 8th .