Ilkeston - About Bloomin' Time
w/e 07 July 2019
All of this week's pictures were
taken with a Kodak DX6490
It's about this time of year that the East Midlands in Bloom
judges travel around the area to visit each entrant in the annual
competition. In 2018 Ilkeston gained a Silver Gilt award in the
Large Town category and will be hoping to improve on that to
achieve the coveted Gold Award. The East Midlands competition
is one of 18 regional competitions that go to make up the Britain
in Bloom nationwide gardening event that has been held every
year since 1963. Organised by the Royal Horticultural Society,
the judges look for the visible impact of flowers and floral
bedding, seasonal colour, community and commercial/industrial
involvement, the absence of litter, graffiti and the general
cleanliness of the area among several other criteria. In Ilkeston
this year they will obviously notice the five flower beds on
the large island (above) at the southern end on Chalons Way where
yellow and orange are the predominant colours.
The five bed island is complemented by the hanging baskets and
self-watering troughs on the railings all around the island.
Although this is still known as White Lion Square, the pub of
that name was demolished several years ago when Chalons Way was
constructed and in truth it never was a "Square" as
such.
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The troughs on the railings at the end of Chalons Way can be
enjoyed by motorists and pedestrians alike.
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Commercial involvement can be seen throughout the town including
the two pubs on opposite sides of South Street.
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The Market Place of course will be another stopping point on
the judges' itinerary with the flower beds around the War Memorial
, the tubs along one side and a line of hanging baskets on the
other bound to make an impact.
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The Garden of Remembrance on the north side of the Market Place
will also come under the judges' gaze.
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The same colour scheme can also be seen on the Lower Market Place.
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And hanging baskets continue down both side of Bath Street.
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The Jewel in the Crown, pièce de résistance, tour
de force or whatever else you wish to call it is, of course Victoria
Park where there is always a picture waiting to be taken whatever
the weather or the season.
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The central beds are as usual a riot of colour recalling the
bright displays of the original public Victorian gardens.
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The raised bed display this year in front of the bandstand honours
Dementia Friends.
The Bloom judges will be taken on a route around the town to
see the flower displays probably even including this island where
Chalons Way crosses Station Road but then it will just a matter
of time until their verdict is revealed which everyone involved
will be hoping this year is that coveted Gold Award.
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