On Friday, October 28, 2022, Central Bedfordshire Council’s Neighbourhood Operations team joined residents from the Downside estate in Dunstable to plant daffodils.
In partnership with Dunstable in Bloom, the team and 15 volunteers planted 1,000 daffodil bulbs across the estate, which will bloom this Spring.
Planting the daffodils is the latest in a series of improvements the Council is making in the area. Earlier this year, a survey of housing tenants revealed the service they valued most from the Council was grounds and green space maintenance.
As a result, a programme of work was put in place to ensure Downside’s green spaces are healthy and can be used by the community. The Council has already carried out work around Mayfield Road to improve the health of the trees there and is currently refurbishing two play parks on Morcom Road and Jardine Way.
Councillor Eugene Ghent, Executive Member for Housing and Assets, said: “I am really pleased to see so many residents helping to plant bulbs, and I join them in looking forward to seeing the daffodils in bloom next year. We are grateful to Dunstable in Bloom who donated 1,000 bulbs which our team and volunteers planted around Downside.”
Dunstable in Bloom, who were recently given a Gold Award for their contributions to sustainable gardening at the Royal Horticultural Society’s 2022 Britain in Bloom Finals, donated 1,000 bulbs.
This year they have been able to purchase 3,500 bulbs in total after being awarded funding by Dunstable Ward Councillors, who each contributed some of the £2,000 available to Central Bedfordshire Councillors. This funding is used to allocate grants to local projects that demonstrate a community benefit, and will allow Dunstable in Bloom to plant daffodils in a number of locations across Dunstable.
Ann Sparrow from Dunstable in Bloom said: “The work that Central Bedfordshire Council put in to organise the event was fantastic. There is still more to come as we will be planting bulbs in all five wards of Dunstable, so residents can look forward to seeing where they spring up next year!”
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