Event promises to be blooming marvellous

The town's gardening enthusiasts are invited to join the town’s Bloom Committee for the annual behind-the- scenes tour of the Town Council’s greenhouse.

An open evening event at the Weeping Cross site, takes place on May 23 from 6pm.

The site cultivates more than 300,000 blooms which are nurtured each year for the town’s award-winning floral displays.

Whilst the Town Council is starting to take delivery of their summer bedding plants, the greenhouse will be filled with blooms ready for summer planting in time for the open evening.

Visitors will be able to get a glimpse of the hundreds of commercial baskets ready to go out to the town’s businesses, tens of thousands of plants which will feature around the town, as well as thousands of bedding plants and hundreds of standard fuchsias destined for Shrewsbury’s 365-days- a-year show garden in the Dingle.

Guests will be given a guided tour of the greenhouse, with planting demonstrations, and there will also be an opportunity to put questions to the Town Council’s gardening staff and Bloom Committee members.

Light refreshments will also be provided.

Keith Roberts, chairman of Shrewsbury in Bloom, said: “We have received such positive feedback from this event and we are pleased to be able to provide this fantastic opportunity to get a glimpse of what goes into making Shrewsbury THE Town of Flowers.

"With the greenhouse full of blooms, this is a wonderful opportunity to see the sheer scale of the flowers required for the numerous summer planting schemes around the town. The flowers look and smell fantastic and it is certainly a wonderful sight to see the blooms in one place before they are planted out. The open event is also an opportunity to get useful tips from the experts who will be on hand to answer your questions and queries as well as see how people can get involved with the Bloom project for the town.”

Helen Ball, town clerk for Shrewsbury Town Council, added: “With Shrewsbury participating in both the RHS Britain in Bloom and the Heart of England in Bloom competitions this year, I’m sure that our residents will be eager to see just what goes on behind the scenes to make our town look “blooming marvellous” for our residents and visitors alike.”

Registration for the open evening is essential. Requests should be sent to hilary.humphries@shrewsburytowncouncil.gov.uk by close of business on May 18.

Shrewsbury in Bloom is a non-profit committee which brings together interested groups and individuals to implement a programme for Shrewsbury's floral enhancement, environmental improvements and community projects. It is the driving force behind Shrewsbury's annual entry into the Heart of England in Bloom competition.