Two gardening experts visited Dunstable on Wednesday to decide whether the town deserves another gold award in the Anglia in Bloom competition.
Judges George Dawson and Sue Hacon were shown around by John Crawley, Dunstable Town Council’s head of grounds and environmental services, and Hugh Garrod, chairman of Promoting Dunstable.
They then met Dunstable’s Mayor, Councillor Terry Stock, councillors, members of Promoting Dunstable and other invited guests at Priory House, where they enjoyed a cream tea.
The town gained its third gold award in the annual contest last year and is hoping for similar success this time.
Meanwhile, staff at Central Bedfordshire’s Travel Choices Hub at Ashton Square, Dunstable, have shown they’re blooming marvellous with a special cycle-themed floral display for Dunstable in Bloom.
When Hub staff were asked to take part in the competition, schools and communities assistant Hazel Archer came up with a design to reflect the active travel aims of the Travel Choices project.
To create the display, incorporating bicycle wheels, baskets and fake turf, Hazel worked with Travel Choices volunteers, many of whom attend the Hub’s walks and cycle rides. She then enlisted the help of her husband Andy, an experienced welder and sculptor, to help build the frame.
Once completed, volunteers Dudley Smy and Diana Hayden planted up the baskets with flowers grown from seed by Dudley.
“The design is called ‘Cycling and Movement’,” said Hazel. My aim was to create something that referenced active transport. There’s also a nod to this year’s Tour de France with the inclusion of a wooden yellow jersey and the yellow, green and white colour scheme.”
Central Beds Councillor Nigel Young said: “The staff and volunteers at the Travel Choices Hub have produced a superb, imaginative display which really adds a splash of colour to Ashton Square while reinforcing the active travel message.’”