More than 150 residents attended Shrewsbury Town Council’s Greenhouse Open Evening at the Weeping Cross Nursery last night, gaining a behind-the-scenes insight into the work that goes into creating Shrewsbury’s award-winning floral displays.
Visitors were able to see thousands of plants already fully established and ready to be planted into hanging baskets, pole tops, planters and beds across the town ahead of the summer season and the forthcoming Heart of England in Bloom judging campaign. Residents also heard how The Dingle will be replanted with summer bedding over the next few weeks as preparations continue across the town.
The newly appointed Mayor of Shrewsbury, Councillor Bernie Bentick, greeted residents during the evening and spoke with visitors as they explored the nursery and workshop facilities.
The evening featured live planting demonstrations from Amy Jones and Barry Brooks, Grounds maintenance operatives from the Amenity Space Team, who showcased how the Town Council prepares floral planters, with their finished creations destined to be installed on Welsh Bridge next month. Nursery Manager Pete Jenks also demonstrated the planting of the Town Council’s larger circular planters, which are typically installed in high-footfall locations such as The Square. Chris Neeve from Shrewsbury Town Council’s Stepping Up Team was also on hand speaking to residents about the work being carried out to tackle overgrown vegetation and reopen public footpaths and community spaces.
Teachers and students from Condover College were also in attendance, speaking with residents about the valuable work undertaken by two of their students with special educational needs at the nursery, highlighting the important partnership opportunities and inclusive working environment supported by the Town Council.
One of the highlights of the evening was a competition inviting residents to guess the number of plants contained within one of the Town Council’s larger circular planters, affectionately nicknamed the “Dalek”.
The event also gave residents the opportunity to meet a wide range of Town Council staff and learn more about the services delivered across Shrewsbury each day.
Charlotte Jeffreys, Street cleansing operative from the Street Cleaning Team spoke with visitors about how the service is delivering mechanical sweeping across more than 600 miles of roads, footpaths and cycle lanes, while also managing the emptying of over 550 public litter bins throughout the town.
Mark Preece, Recreation & formal space manager and Darren Woods, Logistics Manager, spoke to visitors about the vehicles, machinery and equipment used to support the Town Council’s work across Shrewsbury. Drew Ganley, Grounds maintenance operative from the Countryside Team discussed the management of more than 30 countryside and green space sites across the town, while encouraging residents to get involved in regular volunteer sessions.
Members of the public interested in volunteering opportunities with the Countryside Team can register their interest by emailing enquiries@shrewsburytowncouncil.gov.uk.
Stuart Farmer, Chairman of Shrewsbury in Bloom and Operations Manager at Shrewsbury Town Council, said:
It was fantastic to welcome so many residents to Weeping Cross and to showcase the huge amount of preparation that goes into Shrewsbury’s floral displays each year. The support from the community is incredibly important as we prepare for this summer’s judging campaign, and events like this help people better understand the scale and diversity of the work our teams carry out across the town.”
Helen Ball, Town Clerk for Shrewsbury Town Council, added:
The open evening was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the work of our staff and volunteers while giving residents a real insight into the services delivered by the Town Council every day. From horticulture and countryside management to street cleaning and public realm maintenance, there is a huge amount happening behind the scenes to help keep Shrewsbury looking its best.”
The Greenhouse Open Evening formed part of preparations for this year’s Heart of England in Bloom campaign, with judges due to visit Shrewsbury later this summer.
