South West in Bloom Judging

This year for the first time, South Swindon Parish Council entered South West in Bloom and put a lot of work into improving the parish, especially the Town gardens and Queens park which they took on the management of in April this year. On 11 July, we met  judges Bob Ollier and Graham Price at Broadgreen Community Centre and drove round our route, starting at Shaftesbury Lakes where we looked at the new fishing platforms, disabled access platform and children from the local primary school pond dipping. From there we drove to the Marriott roundabout and looked at the OTRA Gardens bed and the avenue of trees donated by the Woodland Trust in 2013 and then to the Station Approach gardens and the Mr Cod bed. Anxiety levels were such that I didn't manage to take photos until we reached the Town Gardens

 where the entrance looked stunning

 Above clockwide, Graham Price, Bob Ollier, Head Gardener at Town Gardens and Rob Core, South Swindon Parish Clerk

Here's another magnificent bed near the Westlecot Road entance

 More discussions

 I tried to get a good bandstand photo, but it was a bit dull and I didn't want to miss anything

 More glorious planting on the way down the the Bowl

 It was wonderful to be taken round the Town Gardens by the Head gardener and witness such enthusiasm for the job and his plans going forward.

 We then went onto Queens Park where we again met the Head Gardener who was also very enthusiastic and showed us his fabulously kept gardens. I've managed to get Councillor Trish Philpot in the photo this time

 I took a few photos on the way in, the Ligularia were looks fantastic

 as were the Acanthus mollis

 The formal planting above the lake with some tremendous hanging baskets was very impressive

 Councillor Stan Pajak came across to lend support and show some photos of Queens Park history to the judges

 Bob Ollier with the Head Gardener

 and here with Tom Gleeson's recently refurbished gorilla

 and one last photo taken from inside the park looking towards Groundwell Road.

I'll let you know how we got on. Meanwhile, I was looking up Rob Core on Google and cam across this interesting link on wildflower planting in Swindon. The roundabouts in question still look very good. Have a look at this link.