Date: 07/04/2008
Next time you pass through Buxton and are bowled over by the colourful flowers brightening up most roundabouts, railings, shop fronts and formal beds, spare a thought for the countless hours that go into planning, designing, planting and maintaining such dazzling displays.
Chances are the striking design that has caught your eye is the creative work of Phil Wiggans, technical assistant in High Peak Borough Council's Parks and Environment team who, along with his colleagues and members of the Buxton in Bloom group, is going for gold in this year's Royal Horticultural Society Britain in Bloom finals.
After tasting success for the past two years in East Midlands in Bloom, Phil, with around 20 of the council's parks and environment and street care staff and a band of dedicated volunteers, are pulling out all the stops to ensure that Buxton is at its blooming best in the quest to net a national award.
This year, they are also aiming to bag the RHS discretionary award 2008 for Local Roots, which will be awarded to the place that best demonstrates links between the community, local history, cultural diversity and unique character - through both community activities and planting styles and themes.
Council staff, volunteers, Friends of the Pavilion Gardens, Vision Buxton, local businesses, schools and University of Derby students are all working in close partnership to make Buxton's bold bid for environmental glory a resounding success. Photo shows, from left, Geoff Scott, Iain Wright and Phil Wiggans, of High Peak Borough Council's Parks and Environment team, preparing for Buxton's Britain in Bloom award bid.
Not surprisingly, the water theme is set to play a central role, reflecting Buxton's famous spa and well dressing heritage. One display, at the bottom of Manchester Road, will depict a river in blue petunias, edged by banks of brightly-coloured marigolds on either side.
Another, in the Pavilion Gardens, will be based on the town's celebrated Dome at the University of Derby's Devonshire campus - featuring a bold combination of tall blue agapanthus in the centre, surrounded by petunias in various shades of blue, divided by 'spokes' of silver cineraria and edged with white begonias.
The town's architecture will shine through in the shapes within the displays, such as circles for the Dome and crescents echoing the landmark Grade I listed Crescent, and even the colour scheme - predominantly blue and white - is appropriate, representing both water and Buxton's football team strip.
"It will be a big thing for the town, because the national competition is much more in-depth," explained Phil, who has an HND in horticulture and a degree in environmental management, and has worked on In Bloom projects since he joined High Peak Borough Council in 1996. "Instead of just one round of judging in July, there will be three - one in spring, one in summer, then a third later on in the summer, which will mean much more work and commitment for everyone involved."
The determined push for a national prize means that 80 spring flowering baskets and new bedding - featuring colourful winter flowering pansies, wallflowers, button daisies, daffodils and tulips - are currently being hung and planted around the town.
During the first week in June, they will be replaced by summer bedding and around 200 hanging baskets, featuring - among other plants - trailing surfinias (similar to petunias) in shades of hot pink, blue and purple and trailing begonias, that will provide a rainbow of colour throughout the flowering season. Dwarf pampas grass will also be used to create extra impact in many of the beds.
Planning began during the dark days of winter, when Phil got down to work on the Buxton in Bloom designs and poured over a variety of catalogues, in pursuit of plants suited to the annual theme. "It's important to look at the basic shape of the beds and plant things that are going to look good in each particular situation, using taller plants in the centre and smaller ones towards the outside," he explained.
"Designing the beds and displays is one of the most satisfying aspects of my job, because it calls on artistic skills and it's great when it succeeds. It's especially rewarding when residents and visitors take the trouble to get in touch to say how nice the town looks, or ask where they can get a particular plant. This year I've picked out various aspects of Buxton, such as its history, unique qualities, culture, diversity and community activities and links, and tried to incorporate them into the various designs."
Phil then ordered the plants through the contractor - this year, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council - and keeps an eye on their progress, in preparation for planting out. "When they arrive, it's all hands on deck - everyone in Parks and Environment works extremely hard to get the plants in and baskets hung as quickly as possible, usually within two weeks," he said. Each year, an average of 20,000 bedding plants are needed, excluding the hanging baskets, but this year the figure will be near 25,000 to meet the need for extra spring and summer colour. Fortunately, funds for environmental improvements have been boosted by £10,000 from the Heritage Lottery Breathing Places Fund, granted to the Friends of the Pavilion Gardens.
"This year, there will be some extra three-tiered planters, like the ones already installed on the mini-roundabouts, because they create a lot of impact," said Phil. "There'll be some on Spring Gardens and others in the Market Place, in front of the Town Hall. Like the baskets, they'll be big, bold and blowsy, with lots of colour and trail to attract attention."
Once the displays have been installed, regular watering, feeding and de-heading keeps them looking good throughout the season, and street care staff play a key role by keeping the environment clear of litter to catch the judges' eye. "Now we're in the build-up the competition, there's lots of excitement among the staff, volunteers and everyone involved,' said Phil. "We're all ready to give it our best shot."
More volunteers are welcome to help Buxton score Britain in Bloom success, and are invited to contact Buxton in Bloom chair Jane McGrother on 01298 24779. Local businesses, keen to sponsor anything from a hanging basket to a roundabout display, are asked to contact High Peak's parks and environment manager Mel Henley on 0845 129 7777.