2012 Cultivating Pride in our Town Contents Page No. 1. Introduction 1 2. Achievements 2011-12 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) 15 2.2. Environmental Responsibility (B) 17 2.2.1. Conservation and Biodiversity (B1) 17 2.2.2. Resource Management (B2) 20 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 23 2.3.1. Development and Continuity (C1) 23 2.3.2. Communication and Education (C2) 23 2.3.3. Community Participation (C3) 23 2.3.4. Year-round Involvement (C4) 26 2.3.5. Funding and Support (C5) 26 3. Proposals July 2012 - June 2013 26 4. Sponsors, Supporters and Contacts 27 Above - Eynesbury Green (SNTC). 24/06/12 1. Introduction A cold, dry winter, then a drought, followed by torrential rain! St Neots has had everything over the last few months which has been challenging to all concerned with providing floral displays and keeping the streets and open spaces tidy. However, St Neots in Bloom will hopefully be able to show off green grass for a change during the judges tour, supported by some delightful floral displays. 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 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 22,321. Priory Park Ward (4422) Eaton Ford Ward (5359) East Ward (908) Eaton Socon Ward (4274) Eynesbury Ward (7358) (Ward boundaries are shown in pink) - 1 - Community St Neots in Bloom continues to engage with the wider community. We have regular contact with the three main community groups, Eatons Community Association, Eynesbury Village Association and Love's Farm Community Association. We also maintain links with several 'Friends' groups and with our local schools. We chose not promote a colour theme for floral displays this year, as it was fairly obvious that red, white and blue would be the dominant colour combination around the town, which has proved to be the case. However, we agreed with St Neots Town Council to have red, white and blue predominating in the town centre floral displays in support of the Diamond Jubilee, but to include other colours elsewhere, to create more interest in the displays. Committee for 2012 Officers: Chair - Alison Pearson (Chair of meetings, portfolio and route planning co-ordinator, media and promotions.) Vice-chairman - Tom McCormick (Local businessman and school governor) Hon. Treasurer until March 2012, then external book keeper - Mike Van de Kerkhove (Commercial Frontage Award judge). Hon. Secretary - Lin Buck (Schools liaison and photographer). Committee members: Katie Baldwin (Bpha's Community Officer at Love's Farm) Melvyn Curtis (Route planning.) Tina Drage (Luminus) Catherine Hutton (County and Town Councillor) Ian Webb (Commercial Frontage Award judge, photographer) Rini Patel (Love's Farm representative) Stuart Carter (Commercial Frontage Award judge) Allocated St Neots Town Councillor on the committee. May 2012 to May 2013 - Councillor Barry Chapman, St Neots Town Council Chairman and Mayor for 2012-13. Above - Tiered planter at the Market Square (SNTC). 20/09/11 - 2 - 2. Achievements 2011 - 2012 2.1. Horticultural Achievement (A) 2.1.1. Impact (A1) On the following pages are pictures of our wonderful local authority displays from late summer 2011 through to late spring 2012. The judges will be shown most of the summer displays during their tour of the town on 18th July, so they are not included here. Late summer 2011 Left - Priory Centre courtyard (SNTC). 06/08/11 Right - Eynesbury Green (SNTC). 26/09/11 Left - Eaton Socon Green (SNTC). 20/08/11 Right - Cambridge Street displays (HDC). 26/09/11 - 3 - Spring 2012 All the winter bedding struggled with the variety of weather that it had to cope with. Nevertheless, there were still lovely splashes of colour by early spring. Left - Hanging baskets in the Market Square (SNTC). 09/05/12 Right - Entrance to Priory Park (HDC). 29/01/12 Left - St Neots Garden of Rest (SNTC). 07/04/12 Right - Eaton Socon Green (SNTC). 14/03/12 Left - Eaton Ford Green (SNTC). 07/04/12 - 4 - 2.1.2. Horticultural practice (A2) Water become an issue this year. Both councils found solutions to the hosepipe ban, which enabled them to continue with planting out bedding displays and putting up hanging baskets. SNTC continues to have permission to extract water from the River Great Ouse for watering its displays. Heavy rain in early June hampered planting and caused severe water logging in Riverside Park. HDC has introduced a new grass cutting policy for 2012, reducing amenity and residential area grass cuts to 10 a year from 14, and other less used areas to one cut a year. Biodiversity will benefit from this, but it remains to be seen whether it is acceptable to the general public. Sustainable feed (pelleted chicken manure and blood, fish and bonemeal) has been used in the SNTC planting. Water retaining gel is usually added to hanging baskets, along with slow release feed. Regular inspection, dead heading and weeding of bedding displays is carried out by both councils. All SNTC planters have inbuilt water wells to reduce wastage. SNTC refurbished its Jubilee Garden raised bed in time for the Diamond Jubilee celebrations and is our nomination for a Special Award for a Drought/Sustainable Garden. Designed by St Neots in Bloom's Alison Pearson, with help from nurseryman John Banks, the new planting uses grasses mixed with herbaceous plants and a few shrubs, to reflect the meadows of St Neots Green Corridor. The site is usually sunny and relatively free draining. The old bark chip mulch was dug in along with pelleted chicken manure to improve the soil. A few plants were retained from the original planting whilst several others were replanted elsewhere . A topping of coarse gravel is designed to make weeding easier and retain moisture. Most of the flowering plants will also provide nectar and pollen for insects. The Geranium cantabrigiense cultivars were being used by bumblebees, solitary bees and honey bees shortly after they were planted! Left - Jubilee Garden's raised bed before refurbishment. The conifers fell over shortly after this image was taken. (SNTC). 20/09/11 Right - Council staff Replanting (SNTC). 09/05/12 - 5 - Left - Ian and George recovering from helping to move and spread several tonnes of gravel (SNTC). 22/05/12 Right - The finished garden (SNTC). 22/05/12 St Neots Town Council covered the cost of the refurbishment, whilst St Neots in Bloom donated several plants. Alison Pearson volunteered time to the planting and is now employed on contract to maintain the garden. Jubilee Garden has a complimentary bedding display, with a patriotic theme this year, along with several barrier baskets and tubs, which will be viewed on judging day. The Memorial Garden at St Mary's Parish Church was another garden which had a sustainable makeover during the spring. Dry shade from a wall and large trees, prevented bedding from growing at the back of the Memorial Garden. Railway sleepers were used to create a slightly raised bed, covered in gravel, in which shrubs have been planted. The trees have also been pollarded. Above - New raised bed at Parish Church Memorial Garden. 28/05/12 Tree planting has continued in Priory Park with the support of the Priory Park Friends Group - see Section 2.3.3 for more details. Commemorative trees have also been planted around the area including an Alder at Coneygeare. Above - Commemorative Alder planting at Coneygeare. 23/03/12 - 6 - 2.1.3. Residential and Community Gardening (A3) Allotments and community gardening Rowley Allotments in Mill Lane held its annual open day on 23rd July 2011. This popular event was well attended as usual, with the added attractions of folk dancing and a scarecrow display. Above and left - Scarecrow, companion planting and the ever popular tea and cakes at Rowley Allotments Open Day. 23/07/11 For the second year running, St Neots in Bloom sponsored the Floral Art category for the St Neots and District Gardening Club's Annual Show in August 2011, 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. Left - Winner of the 'Moonlight' category 11/08/11 Above right - Visitors and produce 11/08/11 Right - Show sponsors 11/08/11 - 7 - Private gardens St Neots in Bloom has continued to encourage private gardeners to take care of their front gardens, through its Best Front Garden competition. The top three from 2011 were presented with their prizes and certificates on 2nd August. This years judging will take place in early July. Above and right - 1st prize for Priscilla Gale and her amazing front garden. 02/08/11 Left and below - 2nd prize for Stan Richards imaginative use of vegetables and pots in a tiny space. 02/08/11 rd Above and right - 3 prize for Barbara and Ray Braybrook's cottage garden style planting.