For the last 6 years, the local residents' association in Swindon's Old Town have been keen to improve the appearance of the area. This was very much embraced and kick started by Carole Bent who was instrumental in encouraging Swindon Borough Council to dig out the bed on the corner of Newport Street and Devizes Road, underneath the silver birch tree, and fill it with top soil we could plant with something more interesting than ivy, which was there originally. Carole also encouraged local businesses to donate to the biannual events we started to hold, called 'Clean-Ups', held in spring and autumn. The idea was we collected litter and began planting areas which had been grassed before then on the two days we met up.
During this time, the Pipers Area Residents Association had a website, still online, if you click here and go to the page 'Old Town Spring Clean +' you can see all the photos taken as we began to work on our various sites. It's amazing to see the changes.
We have recently renamed ourselves Old Town Residents Association, OTRA, and now have a Facebook page instead of a website.
The idea of joining Britain in Bloom as a community group bubbled away this spring, and having seen the enthusiasm it can generate in other places like Portishead, I thought we should give it a go, and so was in touch with Richard Beale, the BiB co-ordinator for Swindon who said he'd be in touch later in the summer about coming to look at the OTRA sites. Richard has been involved in Marlborough's BiB, it's worth looking at their website to see how far they've got since they started.
In between agreeing to take part and 14 August when I received a text from Richard saying he'd like to visit the gardens, we had the driest, hottest summer for 40 years, with no water supply to any of our sites, but one.
Undeterred, I rallied together those available to give the beds a tidy up, and worked around other things going on that week. Here are a few photos, firstly the working party at the bed near the Marriott Hotel:
I was pleased with what we'd achieved
We moved onto the Mr Cod bed in the afternoon and worked hard to tidy the beds and the seated area around there where there are lots of cigarette butts
The next day after the tidying, I showed Richard round the beds, we started with the one near the Marriott, here's Richard taking photos of the bed as I talk him through the planting.
We then walked up the avenue of trees we planted with Croft School children with 60 trees obtained by Cllr Nadine Watts as part of the Queen's Silver Jubilee celebrations. This is what the avenue looks like 6 years later, it's made such a difference to the area:
From there we walked past the bed opposite Earle's newsagents on Station Approach:
Richard remembered it as a scrubby piece of grass and was amazed by the difference
Don't the railings make a difference as a backdrop for plants? The pink is a sedum beginning to flower, and here's the Pennisetum overflowing onto the pavement:
The bed on the corner is looking fabulous with the grasses flowing:
and from there we walked onto the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery beds looking good with plants supplied by OTRA, and Heucheras and Penstemons kindly supplied by Eric Sparkes
From there our furthest bed, the one by Mr Cod, again Richard took a few photos
and I think made some notes.
From there we walked back to St.Margaret's Road where we talked about the importance of the planter at the top of the road. Photo to follow.
I have learnt a lot, and feel very encouraged to take part again, looking forward to hearing how we've done, although I'm on a walking holiday when the results are announced in Yeovil on 4 October.
During this time, the Pipers Area Residents Association had a website, still online, if you click here and go to the page 'Old Town Spring Clean +' you can see all the photos taken as we began to work on our various sites. It's amazing to see the changes.
We have recently renamed ourselves Old Town Residents Association, OTRA, and now have a Facebook page instead of a website.
The idea of joining Britain in Bloom as a community group bubbled away this spring, and having seen the enthusiasm it can generate in other places like Portishead, I thought we should give it a go, and so was in touch with Richard Beale, the BiB co-ordinator for Swindon who said he'd be in touch later in the summer about coming to look at the OTRA sites. Richard has been involved in Marlborough's BiB, it's worth looking at their website to see how far they've got since they started.
In between agreeing to take part and 14 August when I received a text from Richard saying he'd like to visit the gardens, we had the driest, hottest summer for 40 years, with no water supply to any of our sites, but one.
Undeterred, I rallied together those available to give the beds a tidy up, and worked around other things going on that week. Here are a few photos, firstly the working party at the bed near the Marriott Hotel:
I have learnt a lot, and feel very encouraged to take part again, looking forward to hearing how we've done, although I'm on a walking holiday when the results are announced in Yeovil on 4 October.
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