157 Events in Leicestershire
August 2006
Saturday 5 August
Novelettathon Workshop - Sir John Moore School
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149 It’s Bloom Time
Think Leicester, think flowers.
The trees already sport a fresh green look, the flowers debuting in vibrant hues. Leicester is the place to be in summer. It holds the East Midlands In Bloom crown. And this year the city will take a shot at the national Britain In Bloom title as well.
Little wonder then that preparations are on in a big way, in particular in and around the city centre. Planters in Horsefair Street, Bowling Green Street and Applegate are being cleared of the previous season’s remains. The fresh displays will be on a part of the route judges will take through the city centre in July.
The planting and seeding work is being done by the city parks gardening teams. Work will continue over the next eight weeks, so that the displays are well established, in full bloom and look their best come judgment time.
For the city dwellers this is the time to look forward to every year for a clean walk around the centre streets. That’s because bloom time is broom time too as graffiti on walls are erased and street furniture given a fresh coat of polish and paint.
Councillor John Mugglestone, Cabinet link for regeneration and culture, is quite enthusiastic before the media: “The preparations have to start early to make sure everything is ready on time. A lot of planning and behind-the-scenes work has been going on. This is the first preparation on the city centre route. Our staff will be working hard over the coming weeks to ensure the displays are at their best for the judging,” he told Leicester Mercury.
Move away from the city centre and what you see are roads and side streets lined with trees aflame in a riot of colours. The side-walks, the round-abouts the friendly gardens in front of detached or semi-detached houses sparkle the eye just as well, bursting with daffodils, tulips, bluebells and violas.
Shops and offices too enjoy the colour code. You will rarely find a bleak window this time of the year. The window sills stacked with pots of every size containing flowers of every kind. A particular favourite is the magnolia which can be seen hanging in abundance from the overhead flower pots.
Not to be left behind are the pubs, in particular those which have play areas for children. The Old Horse Pub on London Road, opposite the vast and beautiful Victoria Park, is one such. Its sprawling façade, with several flower pots hanging from the eaves, got a complete makeover on Wednesday, bringing much cheer to the regulars.
However purist flower lovers have a grouse which may not be entirely misplaced. They say that most of the planted flowers are hybrid and grown in controlled conditions. This is to make them disease free. Understandable, yes. But it has led to a big loss. Fragrance. Ask the bees!
However, do not despair. Just make a petal pilgrimage to the Botanical Gardens opposite the Race Course. And breathe in the heady scents to your heart’s content. The organic displays remind you of those meadowy greens and the dales of your childhood.
By the way, the Gardens re-open on June 5.
Sudha Vemuri - Editor for Leicester
60 Leicester
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