Spring Judging 03/04/12

Well it was a miserable day, cold and wet, but it could have been worse, the snow held off until after the judges had left. We didn't seem to get much feedback from the judges, so we'll just have to wait and see what we get awarded. I can't help but think everything we showed them would have looked that much better if the sun had been shining.

We gave the judges lunch at the Ingram Gardens Community Room, which is a lovely space full of character, with the volunteers from Holbeck in Bloom who had their judging in the morning. Susan M. didn't manage to come to the lunch as she was litter picking along Beeston Road, which was in a terrible state. She lost count after collecting 20 bags of rubbish. Not sure what happened to the official litter patrol that were supposed to sort it out. Linda and Angela then gave the presentation to the judges in the Parks Dept meeting room at Cross Flatts Park [well done Linda] before taking the judges on a coach trip round our route. They visited the allotments, drove past our Planters on Dewsbury Road, the Barrier Troughs at the Tommy Wass junction, the Cardinal Triangle bed, through the White Rose Shopping Centre and Office Park, the gardens at Evans, past the Co-op Planter, Old Lane Planters, the Miners Memorial at Beeston Cemetary and our new Beeston Road Planters before visiting Holbeck Cemetary, Herbs and Dragon Flies and finally the Millenium Gardens [or some variation on that theme].

Several people from other organisations [Friends of Cross Flatts Park and Holbeck Cemetery] helped along the way and we ended back at the Parks Dept meeting room where we had a final cup of tea, scone and natter where I took a couple of photos.

And we have it all to do again for Summer Judging on 02/07/12. Lets hope the weather is better on the day - although we could do with some regular rain between now and then to get everything looking it's best, otherwise we are going to have to start planting more drought tolerant plants - which means more fund raising!

Sara