Posted on 24th Oct 2011 @ 11:44 AM

Donation of flowers to brighten up city

Stoke-on-Trent City Council has accepted the plants from two nurseries, and plans to use them in various parks and green spaces, along with 40 of the city's roundabouts.  The donations have come from Moddershall-based Boultons Wholesale Nurseries, and Jackson's Nurseries in Bagnall. The city council says the donations will help its planting programme in light of "financial pressures".

Financial reports reveal the council has cut £18,000 from its budget for bedding plants and floral displays. Councillor Janine Bridges, cabinet member for city services, said: "We would like to thank the companies who have donated plants to us. "It is a very public-spirited act and shows how community-minded both businesses are. "Given the financial pressures we have to work under, this is a huge help to our planting programme and can help us maintain our flower beds. "We also hope local residents will follow the lead of these companies by improving the environment in our city and help us to keep our parks and open spaces in good condition by working together, forming friends groups and informing us of anti-social behaviour immediately. "All the shrubs will be used across the city in our parks and roundabouts, and we hope this will be the start of partnership between us that can grow and grow."

The two firms have handed over almost 3,000 shrubs.

Roger Jackson, owner of Jackson's Nurseries, said: "We were very happy to donate the shrubs to the city council. "We wanted to help them make some of Stoke-on-Trent's green spaces look good, so we gave what we could spare to help them out." The firm's garden centre manager, Hayden Salt, hopes the donations will help brighten up areas of the city. The 37-year-old, from Penkhull, said: "We are happy to be involved as it's nice to fill the city with a few more plants to improve the green spaces. "We have donated shrubs, flowers and some evergreen plants. We feel it is a nice mix that will sit well in the city."

Lee Melady, nursery manager at Boultons, said: "We have a contract to supply the plants at Burslem Park and had a conversation with the council over this scheme." The 43-year-old from Blythe Bridge added: "Some shrubs and plants can really brighten up some areas." The city council is currently implementing cuts of £35.6 million this year, and is drawing up plans to cut up to £25 million for the financial year 2012/2013.