St Albans City and District Council is to plant snowdrop and daffodil bulbs in its parks in place of high maintenance winter bedding plants.
More than 200,000 seasonal bulbs are currently being planted as part of a long-term strategy to make the District’s planting schemes more sustainable.
It follows the success of annual seeded flower schemes that brought a burst of natural colour to the District’s parks this summer. The displays also helped the District win the Environmental Quality Award at the Anglia in Bloom competition.
Throughout the winter months and beyond, low-maintenance bulbs will now be used to provide the District’s parks with a beautiful floral backdrop.
Snowdrops will produce a carpet of white during the bleak winter months. They will be followed by flowering Glory of the Snow and Daffodils bulbs. These will bring a splash of yellow and purple to lift our mood ready for the summer months.
Over the next few weeks the bedding areas may look rather sparse. However, underneath the soil there will be an array of bulbs waiting to give us an explosion of flowers.
Councillor Daniel Chichester-Miles, Portfolio Holder for Environment for Albans City and District Council, said: “The Council recognises that using new bedding plants throughout the year for flower displays is not good for the environment. It is now developing a sustainable approach and is using seeds and bulbs each year instead.”
This summer’s annual seeding flower displays required 80% less watering than bedding plants and provided nectar rich flowers for bees and butterflies.
Bedding plants not only require more water, but are also grown in peat in heated glass houses and need to be transported to their location.
The implementation of more permanent sustainable planting is an ongoing exercise.
This summer, bulbs will be used to add fresh shades and variation to the flower displays. Among annual seeded flowers there will be visual delight of purple lollipop-shaped Alliums, providing a crescendo of colour during the peak summer months.
In the Autumn, flowering bulbs such as Nerines and Crocuses will be planted to brighten up areas in the late season. In addition, a yellow floor covering of Winter Aconites will be created underneath the mature trees in Clarence Park and other areas.
Councillor contact:
Councillor Daniel Chichester-Miles, Portfolio Holder for Environment for Albans City and District Council
Tel: 01727 819281
Contact for the media:
Amanda Wilkinson,
Media and Internal Communications Officer
St Albans City and District Council
Tel: 01727 819317
E-mail: amanda.wilkinson@stalbans.gov.uk
www.stalbans.gov.uk
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