All Change For Welland Park’s Floral Displays
Written by HFM News on 9th March 2021
Changes are taking place to floral displays in Market Harborough’s Welland Park, in a bid to achieve ‘Green Flag’ status.
Flower beds are being altered to allow for more all-year-round planting, one of the requirements of the nationally-recognised scheme, and to increase biodiversity.
A mix of perennial longer flowering plants and shrubs will be planted and the flower beds near the toilets are being turned into a wildflower meadow, with blossom trees.
Harborough District Council is behind the work and says there will still be some annual bedding, which provides the traditional summer flower displays.
Flower beds are being altered in Welland Park to allow for ‘all-year-round’ planting Pic: Hfm
The Green Flag’award scheme is run by Keep Britain Tidy to recognise and reward well-managed parks and green spaces.
A Council spokesman told Hfm: “As part of an ongoing plan for the park and our open spaces, we are looking at how we can increase biodiversity.
“One of the areas we are looking at is the flower beds, which are at present only planted up in the summer, and with annual bedding which is not as beneficial for insects and wildlife.
“The aim is to move the beds back to the tennis courts and then plant them up with a mix of perennial longer flowering plants and shrubs to offer more habitat for birds.
“We will still have some annual bedding but this will be reduced to allow for the longer flowering perennials. This will also assist with a reduction in watering once the plants are established, therefore also benefiting the environment.
“The volunteers on the park have been part of this process and support the aim of increasing biodiversity. We thank them for their continued support on this project and the help they offer to the Council.”
Harborough In Bloom volunteers will continue to maintain the Rose Garden, which will not be affected by the changes, and are also in talks about taking over looking after some flower beds by the bowls pavilion.
Flower beds are being altered in Welland Park to allow for ‘all-year-round’ planting Pic: Hfm
