Portishead in Bloom

Monthly Press Release/Newsletter – Issue 4

March 2010

Slowly the spring flowers are beginning to burst into bloom in Portishead and surrounding areas. The daffodil bulbs planted by volunteers last October outside the grassed area adjacent to the Open Air Swimming Pool are growing well and within the next few weeks should give a welcome splash of colour. The tubs and baskets on the carousels are providing much needed colour within the town and in spite of the appalling winter appear to be thriving thanks to the care and attention of the volunteers who maintain them. Unfortunately, there was a rather unpleasant incident this month when one of our volunteers discovered shards of glass and a rusty blade buried in the Portishead in Bloom’s tubs outside the PDSA. At the time our volunteer was replacing plants which had been mysteriously removed. We, as a group, are trying to remain positive and hope this was not a deliberate act of anti-social behaviour!

March 17 To celebrate the 40^th anniversary of the Lions Club of Portishead, a new flowerbed has been created outside the Open Air Swimming Pool. 40 yellow roses - called Lions International – have been planted in the triangular bed. A small wall using recycled stone from the Avon and Somerset Police HQ has been constructed to offer the plants some protection from the off shore breezes. The whole process was carried out in conjunction with the Lions, North Somerset Council and Portishead in Bloom. The bed will be completed with companion planting of blue agapanthus and a variety of grasses by members of Portishead in Bloom. A commemorative stone with a plaque celebrating the Lions’ Club work through the decades is a central feature of the flowerbed. A member of the Lions’ Club has kindly volunteered to help with the maintenance of the bed. It has been an excellent project and thanks must go to all those who have made this possible.

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Other News

Sponsor a basket scheme

We are looking for people who would be willing to sponsor one of our beautiful summer hanging baskets. For a donation of £15 this would not only help support Portishead in Bloom’s efforts in continuing to provide floral displays through the year, but also enable us to provide more sustainable planting throughout the town. If you are interested in supporting this scheme and would like further information please contact Sandy Tebbutt on 01275 843566. A sponsor page will be available on our website www.portisheadinbloom.org.uk which will record people’s generosity, if they wish.

Litter

Volunteers have been out and about in Portishead doing their usual ‘clear-up’. About 20 people turned up to tidy around the Lake Grounds and gathered the usual amount of rubbish! One of our volunteers filled a sack with litter just walking from Slade Road to the bottom of Nore Road. It was really good to have the help of some newcomers to Portishead, who, incidentally were horrified at the amount of litter in the town. Has anyone taken a walk past Pill Park on the Marina recently? Not only is there rubbish strewn everywhere, but many of the grasses in the bed behind a piece of public art have been pulled out and thrown around. Not a good advertisement for visitors to our town.

Re-planting of the bed at Albert Road

Surrounding the flower bed at the mini roundabout where Brampton Way meets the High Street is a walled ‘shrubbery’ where the plants were long past their best. A newly formed branch of the W I (based in the Village Quarter) were looking for a suitable bed to tend and Portishead in Bloom have identified this particular area. Grateful thanks must go to officers of North Somerset Council and in particular Ed McKay, who very quickly organized the removal of the old shrubs. Keith Southey carried out the work and he will also be weeding our year old hedge in Esplanade Road and replacing any hedging that didn’t make it through the winter.

Friends of Portishead in Bloom

The Friends have been busy pruning the shrubs in the Millennium Garden and the next session will see the planting of grasses on the corner of Woodhill Road where the old telephone box used to be.

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Just a reminder

11 April 10.00a.m – Planting of the Heather Bed at Westhill Triangle

22 May – Plant Sale outside Iceland

Look out for the posters regarding the Spring Garden Awards. Entry forms can be obtained at the local Library, the Folk Hall or can be downloaded from our website www.portisheadinbloom.org.uk.

All Friends’ work parties dates and venues as well as Pride in Portishead clean ups can be found on our website.