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NANTWICH in
Bloom Committee do a lot more than many people will
 suspect. Far more than
just encouraging Nantwich people to play their part in gaining success for the
town in the Britain in Bloom competition and carrying out a lot of the floral work
in town.
I have seen
the April 2008 report of the Chairman, Alderman Doug Butterill, to his committee.
Here is a list of the jobs that had been tackled in the previous month. As
Alderman Butterill said: "some of the
things we get involved with".
NANTWICH STATION: The
planting list for herbaceous planting has been accepted by Nantwich Now and the
order placed with Bridgemere Garden World. It is hoped they will be planted on
Thursday, April 17. All the brackets for the hanging baskets have now been
fitted - 10 on the station building and a double one on each of the 12 lamp
posts, a total of 34 baskets.
WATERLODE: The Rotary
Club of Nantwich have paid to have an avenue of trees planted along
Waterlode. The work will be carried out by contactors. Alderman Butterill
discussed with the club the possibility of working together on a project next
year.
TOWN CENTRE: Kate
McKinnon had discussed her design for a raised flower bed in the town centre.
Stapeley Water Gardens will supply red salvias, orange french marigolds and
yellow french marigolds.
CHURCH WALK: Four cast
iron planters for Church Walk have been ordered as have the two large wooden
planters for the west wall of St Mary's church.
THE COCOA YARD: Thanks to
Andy Butler of Cheshire Lamont (estate agents), excellent progress is being
made. The basket tree will be altered to take 20-inch baskets and the Christmas
tree brackets extend to take 20-inch baskets. A firm has been approached about
supplying filled baskets. Agreement has also been reached on the general siting
of four basket trees down the main walk in the Yard.
AIRMAN'S GRAVE: Meetings
had been held about mowing the area. Now that most of the dead nettle heads have
been mown off, the committee will sow cornfield annuals along the edge of the
car park to give some colour during the summer.
WILD FLOWER MEADOW: James Thompson (Nantwich Riverside Project Manager) and the
British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) were hosts to a
group of 36 architectural trainees from all around the country. Among
other work, a
strip of land across one
 of the wild flower meadows was rotovated. Pupils of
Weaver School sowed cornflower annuals.
SERPENTINE LAKE:
The group also cleaned out the pond (right) next to the bridge over the Serpentine
lake,
 visible in the distance (see footnote)
and planted the edges with various water-loving plants. A "living seat"
(foreground) was made using willow which, says the Chairman, will "I'm sure
cause great amusement." (Picture: Ald. Doug Butterill). The BTCV later
constructed another one near the new willow coppice (left). The seats will
eventually have a back and sides as the willow grows.
SEEDS: From that point along the riverbank to the railway
crossing, various areas have been rotovated and appropriate wild flower seeds
sown. A living
willow screen has been constructed by the willow coppice with log seats and the
willow archway "tied in" as required (see pictures at the top of the
page)
RIVER BANK: In
areas of the river bank which have been eroded, particularly by the weir pool, choir rolls impregnated
with aquatic plants have been laid.
MIXED WEATHER: The
36 trainees were employees of Aedas, an international architectural practice, on a bonding exercise. During the
day they were snowed on, rained on, nearly frozen at times, and the
sun shone. But, "they all agreed they'd had a great time!", says Alderman Butterill.
PLANTERS:
In talks with Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council Direct Services staff,
early in the month, it was agreed that repairs and repainting to the planter on
the corner of Mill Street and The Square would be carried out. Four new cast
iron planters would be placed in front of the Museum, with existing planters
loaned to Elm House. One three-tier planter would be placed between Remax estate
agents and the Marjorie Morton dress shop, subject to agreement with the
appropriate owners. Three three-tier planters will be placed on the corner at
the end of Pillory Street and one on the "V" island in the Waterlode. The eight
planters from Church Walk will also be placed there. The new planters in Church
Walk and in front of the Church were discussed and it was agreed that the large
cast-iron planter should be placed on the path close to the crocus cross. The
planter in High Street will be repainted and one three-tier planter will be
placed at the entrance to Snow Hill car park.
SCHOOLCHILDREN: Weaver
School pupils have sowed cornfield annuals and planted wild flower plants in the
wild flower meadow by the Serpentine Lake. Many of these plants
 had been sown
and brought on by the pupils, some by James Thompson, and others had been bought
using grant money from Cheshire Year of the Garden.
Wyche
School pupils have planted wildflower plugs just north of Nantwich baths.
Weaver
School pupils have planted wild flowers
between the trees that they
planted in November. (See here).
Malbank
students helped to spread woodchip under the cherry
trees planted by the borough council in the small fenced-off area near the
entrance to the school's car park.
SALT LAKE: James Thomson
(Nantwich Riverside Project Manager) has secured funding from WREN (Waste
Recycling Environmental Ltd) on behalf of Nantwich Town Council for creating and
improving footpaths
for a circular walk around the lake (right). The council received £42,000 from
WREN. [The money comes from Waste Recycling
Group Ltd (WRG) from landfill operations.]
SUPPORT: In his report,
Alderman Butterill commented: "As usual we are getting great support from the
Direct Services team of the borough council and James Thomson's support is
outstanding. What would he be like if his job was full time?" |
