Blooming Learning City

Carlisle competes in national floral competition

(Date of issue: Monday, 21 July 2008)

Carlisle City Council's award-winning Green Spaces team is hoping to be judged ‘top of the class’ this week, when they compete in a national flower show.

A spectacular floral display will come together as part of Carlisle City Council's entry into the RHS/Ball Colegrave National Flower Bed Competition, part of the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park, Cheshire.

Work is currently underway on the floral design, celebrating Carlisle as a Learning City. It is being crafted from 2,700 bedding plants, donated by Ball-Colegrave, sponsors of the Local Authority Bedding competition. The plants have been cultivated at Westwood Nurseries on behalf of the City Council.

The design is set around a book, with the pages represented by yellow Marigolds, Coleus bedding plants will be used to illustrate the four basis learning shapes and Ajuga will be used for the lettering detail.

A team of four Council gardeners is currently constructing the display, partly at the nursery, but finishes touches will made at the flower show, which is due to open to the public this Wednesday, 23 July.

Carlisle City Council Cllr Ray Bloxham, Portfolio holder for Environment & Infrastructure said:

"Following last year’s success, we hope that our floral design will be well received by the judges. Our bedding display will celebrate Carlisle as a Learning City and will include a colourful array of bedding plants."

The RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park will be held between Wednesday, 23 and Sunday, 27 July. This year will mark the tenth anniversary of the event.

Last year Carlisle City Council entry, a 1.5 metre-high locomotive, won the bronze award at the National Flower Bed Competition.

Further information on the event and to see a copy of the Carlisle City Council design visit 'Show Highlights' .