Planet-friendly practices are the focus of Sidmouth in Bloom’s plans for the rest of this year, with the theme ‘right plant in right place’.
The group’s work will be in keeping with the new Royal Horticultural Society ethos of ‘putting sustainability at the heart of Britain in Bloom’.
Sidmouth in Bloom’s plans include continuing to develop the Sensory Garden and planting its displays around the town. The group will carry on collaborating with other organisations on the Ham redevelopment, install new urns on the river mouth, finish the planting in the Radway seating area and extend their work with local schools and colleges. They will plant a new ‘climate theme’ in Blackmore Gardens, try out techniques for self-watering hanging baskets and produce a themed bed for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
In all this work Sidmouth in Bloom will seek to encourage biodiversity, save energy and use sustainable products.
Also on the agenda are community planting opportunities and community ‘social’ coach trips. The group will continue liaising with London’s Royal Parks, which has in the past led to exchanges of displays between Sidmouth and London.
Working parties resume this month to clear growths of noxious Himalayan Balsam. The Sid Bashers have made progress in the past few years towards ridding the area of the destructive weed, and have cleared large tracts of it around the middle of the river Sid below Sidford. The working parties will take place every Tuesday morning from 9.30am until 12.30pm, aiming to catch the early growth and continue until late summer. They are also exploring ways of tackling the invasion of Japanese knotweed into the areas that have been cleared.
Sidmouth in Bloom are seeking more volunteers to join the working parties helping to clear these noxious weeds. For more information, visit their website or email info@ sidmouthinbloom.org
Sidmouth’s free-to-enter Spring Garden competition is currently under way. Judging will continue until the middle of May, and the awards for the best courtyard/small garden, medium sized garden and large garden will be presented at Sidmouth in Bloom’s Celebration of Success evening at the end of the year.
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