St Ann’s will be bursting into bloom this year – and everyone in the area is being encouraged to join in.
The new St Ann’s in Bloom campaign starts on Tuesday and will continue through the summer. The aim is to bring the community together to make the area even greener and cleaner.
There’s a chance for everyone to get growing, whether or not they have any previous gardening experience. Ways to get involved include:
- Bring a pot to plant up for free at the Big Blooming Easter Event at Robin Hood Chase from 11am to 2pm on Tuesday. There will be a prize for the most imaginative container.
- Visit an exhibition at St Ann’s Valley Centre (until Monday 18 April) to see the 150 entries received from local children for the St Ann’s in Bloom logo competition. The winner was a rainbow design by Jayden Shardlow (aged 10) from Blue Bell Hill Primary School.
- Enter the garden competitions – there are categories for containers, gardens and businesses. Some of the best entries will form part of a guided tour on Sunday 17 July.
- Visit St Ann’s Allotments for the open day on Monday 2 May, and for container planting workshops on Saturday 28 May.
- Find out about the area’s rose heritage at a Buns and Roses day at St Ann’s Allotments on Saturday 25 June.
- Join St Ann’s Projects on the first Sunday afternoon of every month at the ZigZag Community Garden off Moffat Close – planting, digging, drawing and playing, and a chance to catch up with neighbours over a cuppa.
- Enter the ‘My Beautiful Nottingham’ photo and art competitions. Entries showing ‘My Beautiful St Ann’s’ will be displayed at the St Ann’s Valley Centre from 25 May to 15 June. More details on https://www.nottmbloom.org.uk/competitions/
- Enjoy a community barbecue with STOP TRA at King Edward Park on Saturday 14 May, and join in the fun at the annual Brewsters Park Summer Celebration Event on Saturday 13 August.
- Stay up-to-date with events through social media – facebook.com/stannsinbloom
Allotment gardeners’ group STAA is leading the campaign alongside Nottingham City Council, Nottingham City Homes, the Renewal Trust and Metropolitan Housing.
Alan Schofield, manager of STAA, says: “This is a lovely green part of the city, and the St Ann’s in Bloom campaign is a great way to celebrate it as a great place to live. St Ann’s Allotments is a very special and unique allotment site – one of the oldest and largest sites in the world – and we have lots of experienced gardeners here who are keen to share their skills and knowledge.”
Councillor Malcolm Wood, Chair of Nottingham in Bloom Working Group, says: “It’s fantastic to see St Ann’s continuing Nottingham’s proud tradition of community horticulture and I hope many more people will be inspired to brighten up the area.”