Yesterday, two judges from Northumbria in Bloom were escorted around the village by members of the ‘Blooming’ committee.
They seemed impressed with what they were shown during the 2 hour walkabout. But we won’t know until September how well we did.
Thank you to all the businesses, residents, school and volunteers for putting on such a good show.
Also known as the ‘Hen Run’, the well used footpath between Briary Gardens and The Terrace has been ‘adopted’ by the Trust as a wildlife conservation area, as a part of its Blooming Shotley Bridge Initiative.
This week a dozen volunteers have been cutting back the overgrown vegetation which has been taken for composting, by the County Council. The stream has been cleared and debris removed. Bulb and wildflower planting has been undertaken to improve the site’s biodiversity and habitats for wildlife have been created, including a stone and wood sculpture at the bottom entrance. A ‘bug hotel’, bat and bird boxes have been made by volunteers and school children.
This morning, 22 volunteers from the Trust planted the tubs and troughs with over 1000 sumer bedding plants.
Antirrhinum, Tagetes, Bidens and Lobelia were planted to give a mix of yellow, orange and white flowers, in celebration of the RHS Britain in Bloom 50th anniversary this year.
The Village Trust has ‘adopted’, for improvement and maintenance four raised beds in the village centre.
The bed in the triangle has been planted with herbaceous plants and bulbs, whilst the bed opposite Rumi’s now has perennial shrubs and climbers. The pansies there will be replaced with bulbs after flowering.
The Sunflower seeds sown in the bed opposite the Golden Flower have now germinated. When in flower there should be a mass of golden yellow, to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of RHS Britain in Bloom.
Volunteers will be planting a golden theme in the tubs and troughs this weekend, which will hopefully be in full bloom when the Northumbria in Bloom summer judging takes place on 21 July.
Two judges from Northumbria in Bloom came today to assess the ‘Blooming Shotley Bridge’ entry in the village category.
Members of the Blooming committee showed them around the conservation area, Junior School grounds and ‘The Cut’, which has been added to the judging area as there are plans for nature conservation improvements.
Although it was raining, the village looked bright and colourful with the winter bedding.
Summer judging is scheduled for the 21 July.
Shotley Bridge Village Trust 
