Cities and towns across the UK can follow in the footsteps of some of the finest ancient walled towns in Britain – by filling their streets with floral displays this summer, suggests Plantscape.
York became the fourth such city to adopt the Plantscape approach to floral glory this summer when its Business Improvement District group commissioned 140 planters, flower towers and hanging baskets across the city centre.
The pots, the first coordinated floral scheme the city has had in a decade, were planted with trailing begonias, petunia, surfinias and geraniums in pinks, purple, yellows and reds.
York BID operations manager at the time, Elliot Sawyer, said: “We wanted to fill the city with colour during the summer months. The planters have attracted a lot of positive comments from businesses, residents and visitors.”
Plantscape’s maintenance teams watered the planters just once a week thanks to a built-in deep reservoir seven-day hydration system which kept the plants healthy and happy – even during the heatwave.
Chester, whose famous Rows make it another popular tourist destination, found the planters were so impactful in 2017 that its BID team decided to ask the plant experts back for a second time last summer.
Plantscape manufactured and installed tailor made window boxes on its Grade 1 listed medieval buildings and distinctive covered walkways using bespoke brackets which met strict conservation criteria while being able to withstand the pressure of heavy planters.
The city’s famous Rows – the only streets of their kind in the UK with first floor ‘pavements’ leading to shops and businesses – are a big draw for visitors to the former Roman settlement.
The military style process saw the Plantscape team quietly install 86 window boxes overnight to avoid obstructing traffic in the city centre – with the added bonus of enabling locals to be greeted by the sight of thousands of blooms when they awoke.
Two other walled cities also choose Plantscape every year to create their arrangements – Beaumaris and Worcester.