The Coneygear Community Garden invited residents to celebrate friendship by joining in the planting of 2,000 snowdrop bulbs across Coneygear Park.

Members of the community, local school children, seniors’ groups, and dedicated staff and volunteers took part in the snowdrop bulb planting event on Wednesday, February 14 to mark 60 years of Britain in Bloom.

Celebrating the theme of ‘friendship’ announced this year by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), participants were invited to plant a clump of snowdrops in honour of someone who is, or has been, a good friend to highlight the friendships developed through gardening.  

Britain in Bloom is the largest horticultural campaign of its kind in the UK and was first held in 1963 by the British Tourist Board following examples set by Fleurissement de France.

Encouraging community groups to make positive changes to their local environment through horticultural, environmental and community action, the initiative has been organised by the RHS since 2002.

The Hunts Post: Volunteers planted hundreds of snowdrops.Volunteers planted hundreds of snowdrops. (Image: NEWSQUEST)

The Coneygear Community Garden was designed by award-winning Arit Anderson and opened in June 2022. 

It aims to create a space with accessibility in mind, as well as being a welcoming place for residents to grow fruit and vegetables for the community café scheme.

Postcards are available for participants to write the name of the person they are thinking of and what it is that makes this person a good friend. These can then be taken home or displayed at the centre.

The image on the postcard was taken of snowdrops that are currently in bloom in the community garden.  

Situated nearby is the Coneygear Centre, home to Coneygear Seniors, Moody Mondays, the Oxmoor Friendship Club and other community groups and activities.

For more information, contact Kim O’Brien at the Coneygear Centre on 01480 388677.