LANDSCAPING SERVICES
Idverde contracting staff during training workshop - Euroflor seed being weighed .
Straford upon Avon recreation ground . Site preparation before sowing is vital for success .
Stratford upon Avon recreation ground after being sown with Euroflor Rainbow Annuals seed mixture .
SUMMER SHOW AT STRATFORD UPON AVON
I know a bank whereon the wild thyme blows , Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows ’ These words are from Shakespeare ’ s Midsummer Night ’ s Dream and a very apt quote as an introduction to the wonderful display of urban wildflowers that has played out in an area at Stratford-upon Avon .
In 2021 , Stratford-upon-Avon District Council had been receiving some negative comments from the residents that the flower displays in their town compared unfavourably with others in the county . That year , the council asked their grounds maintenance contractor idverde , to renovate an area of 2,000 sq . metres in the town ’ s recreation ground and sow a bed of wildflowers . For a range of reasons , sowing date , cold weather , poor germination and other factors , the result was a disappointment so the company ’ s contract manager Alex Colbourne turned to another supplier and contacted Andria Backhaus , the area technical manager for Rigby Taylor . In early 2022 , a site inspection was made and the use of a suitable mixture from the company ’ s Euroflor Urban flower seed was proposed . She suggested also involving Howard Wood , an independent environmental consultant and an onsite team meeting took place to agree the way forward . Not only was the plan to make the area visually attractive but to improve its biodiversity and provide a haven and food source for pollinating insects , birds and small mammals . There were other challenges also to consider as the town is a major tourist attraction and swamped with visitors so the work had to be carried out with little disruption to those viewing the town ’ s attractions .
To ensure a successful outcome , a training programme was instigated with Howard setting up a Workshop for idverde grounds staff involved in the project .
Site preparation was vital and began in early March with the cutting down and removal of existing vegetation . An application of a glyphosate-based herbicide Gallop 360 was applied in April and the ground was then rotovated four times and raked to create a fine seedbed tilth . The selected Euroflor , Rainbow Annual mixture was sown and watered daily for three weeks and germination was rapid .
The result has been highly acclaimed by residents and visitors alike with the council receiving a huge number of positive phone calls and emails ; the Facebook page was really buzzing and the display was featured in the local newspaper , the Stratford Herald . Because of the positive reception received , three further areas on the recreation ground are planned for seeding with Euroflor mixtures in 2023 .
As Alex Colbourne commented , “ the results have been amazing and it is all down to team work . We involved everyone in the project from the very start and it is their collective effort and the resulting flower display that has enabled us to achieve such a fantastic visual experience and talking point in the town .”
Euroflor urban flower seed mixtures are widely sown throughout the UK . Sown in the spring , flowering can continue until the first frosts of autumn . Apart from watering , particularly leading up to germination and early establishment , Euroflor requires little maintenance . Mixtures are also available for autumn sowing for flowering the following year .
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