Flower power is back

It's a blooming marvellous time to be in the Royal Borough – hanging baskets are in place, the popular Garden in Bloom Award Scheme is now open for entries and an exciting initiative has been launched to encourage wildlife into our gardens.

Garden in Bloom
Keen gardeners are invited to dig for victory and sign up for this year's Garden in Bloom competition, run in connection with the national Britain in Bloom competition.

The annual scheme is open to all private gardens across the borough, provided they are visible for passers-by to enjoy, and this year there is a new category for pubs and other local businesses.

Be it hanging baskets, glossy lawns or vibrant flowerbeds, the key is the benefit to the community from the display.

Cllr Jesse Grey, lead member for leisure and culture, said: "There are many beautiful gardens around the borough and Garden in Bloom is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the hard work and creativity that goes into them, whatever their size, style or design.

"Introducing a commercial category offers an excellent opportunity to local businesses to show what they add visually to the borough. Even a business fronting directly onto the street can have a colourful hanging basket or window box display."

Councillors will judge gardens in their wards over the summer and certificates and rosettes will be awarded to outstanding gardens in each of the borough's 23 wards. The best two from each ward will qualify for the finals and an overall winner selected in August with a prizegiving ceremony in the autumn.

Residents can nominate their own or someone else's garden by picking up a form from the reception areas of the Town Hall in Maidenhead or the council offices in Sheet Street, Windsor, leisure centres or libraries, or by contacting 01628 796227 or 796133.

Hanging baskets
The council has already put up hanging baskets in Windsor and Maidenhead town centres as well as Datchet, Eton, Old Windsor, parts of Ascot, South Ascot, Sunningdale, Sunninghill and Wraysbury.

Gardens for Wildlife
Attractive gardens aren't just about brightly coloured flowers. The Gardens for Wildlife initiative has been launched by the borough's countryside rangers to encourage gardeners to provide food and shelter for creatures such as birds, butterflies and hedgehogs.

This can be achieved through simple measures such as putting out bird feeders and bird baths, allowing grass to grow long in a specific area and leaving dead wood in place. Longer term, gardeners can opt to plant native trees, shrubs and wildflowers and even install a pond.

Cllr Grey added: "With a bit of planning even a window box or a balcony can become a beautiful nature reserve."

Anyone interested in learning more about gardening for wildlife should call 01628 777440.