Autumn kids’ tubs plant up

Congleton in Bloom team members, Sue Conway, Margaret Gartside, Patti Pinto and Glen Williams were delighted to welcome almost 30 young gardeners plus their parents and teachers to help plant up the children's tubs in the community polytunnel at Congleton Park recently.

The young gardeners ranged in age from 2 to 18 and represented their nurseries and schools (Cherubs and Imps Nursery, Dane Valley Squirrels, Astbury St Mary’s, Buglawton, Havannah, Mossley, Saint Mary’s, Smallwood and The Quinta Primary schools, Congleton West Rangers).

After a brief safety talk, Patti showed everyone a ‘Here’s one I did earlier’ tub, after which the children planted their own sets of tulip and daffodil bulbs into each of the 30 tubs.

The tubs were then topped up with fresh peat free compost by the adults, whilst Patti and the children popped over to the big bug hotel and added more old stems for the bugs to hide amongst over the winter.

Back in the polytunnel the children then planted bellis & primulas.

At the end all the children received a certificate awarded by the In Bloom team.

The tubs will be put out into the town centre, bus station & near the community garden soon.

The team thanked Congleton Town Council for the daffodil bulbs, plants and peat-free compost.

Patti said:

“Many thanks to all who helped prepare the tubs beforehand (including Kath Bratt and Janet Peters) and all those who came today to help us and community gardeners, Louisa Todd and John Sherwood.  Everyone has had a great time, with many dirty hands, smiling faces and 750 plants in the 30 tubs at the end of the one-hour session.  We look forward to admiring the tubs once they are out in town.  We hope that many of these young gardeners will continue to enjoy gardening either at home or at school and come back in the spring when we plant up with summer bedding.”