Event – Otley in Bloom

Otley in Bloom 2025 Chairperson’s Report

The past year has seen Otley in Bloom continuing to maintain all of the areas we have worked on over the past few years. We weed, we cut things back and we plant new things to replace old ones which have come to the end of their time or to add more colour and life to existing displays.

Wharfemeadows Park Large Perennial Beds

In May 2022 we took over the planting and maintenance of the four large flower beds in Wharfemeadows Park. The maintenance of these beds is the biggest of the tasks that we have. We got something of shock in March this year when we learned that one of the four beds was being dug up to form the footing for the temporary footbridge, whilst the work on the 13th century bridge over the river Wharfe takes place. With less than a day’s notice we rounded up a team to go and try to salvage some of the plants.

The bed should be reinstated as it was, once the works to the bridge have finished and in the spring of 2026 Otley in Bloom will work hard to replant it to the original planting plan. Our objective will be to make it match the other three beds, though it will take a some time for the plants to mature and catch up with those in the other beds.

Thankfully the other three beds were unaffected by the works and these continue to thrive.

Hanging Baskets at the Buttercross

In May we bought new hanging baskets for the Buttercross, with holes all round so that they would give a good flower display from underneath. They have looked lovely this year. Planting up hanging baskets for the Buttercross will now become one of our regular annual tasks.

Otley Green Fair

In June we had a table at the Otley Green Fair in the Courthouse. This was to chat to people and let them know the sort of things we do and in the hope of recruiting some new members. We had a good day there and did get lots of interest.

Replanting the Unloved Planters

This year we decided it was time to do something about a number of very shabby looking planters around the town centre that were making our lovely town look less lovely. We are already responsible for a significant number of planters around the town centre and we pay for a third party to water them all. The watering bill already eats away around half of the funds we have to work with each year. So we did a small campaign on Facebook asking whether if we replanted the planters, any of the businesses nearby would be willing to take on watering one. Very happily we got a positive response from several local
businesses and so we managed to turn some sad and scruffy looking planters into some beautiful attractive flower filled planters. We are most grateful to these businesses for their support and for helping to make out town look beautiful.

Miscellaneous Work

As always we also got involved with a bit of balsam bashing, general tidying up of buddleia that was overhanging the footpath and litter picking in whatever area we work on. We installed three new barrier planters at the request of a shop owner to help improve the area outside their shop and we cut back the ivy on the wall of the parish church and tidied up the square planters underneath there. We will soon be bulb planting to add more flowers to several areas of the town. Overall we’ve had a very busy year.

Otley in Bloom is a happy little band of volunteers and it’s fair to say we enjoy what we do but we are always looking out for new members. Memberships is free and open to everyone.
Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Otleyinbloom or email at
otleyinbloom@gmail.com or on our website https://otleyinbloom.co.uk

Christmas Tree festival

This year OIB asked Otley Maker Space to laser some festive patterns on both sides of some slices of wood. We then painted one side of them. Once we’ve used them in the Parish church we will give them to Hug on a Tray to sell. The new owners can decorate the other side.

If you have time, go along to the Parish church, it is a lovely festival.

Gallows Hill carpark

willow weaving to make a fence at Gallows Hill

In 2022 OiB tidied up and planted the corner of the Gallows Hill carpark. This survived despite the drought but it suffered badly from dogs, leaping from their cars and using this corner the way only dogs can. We tried building a fence of broken branches which worked well. Unfortunately some tidy person thought the fence looked terrible so they took it away.

Fast forward to April 2023 and OiB decided to learn how to weave willow, we asked the Friends of Gallows Hill to cut us some willow and we wove our own “tidy” willow fence. Looks good, tidy and it seems to keep dogs out!

Wharfemeadow Compost and then the Weeding

10 people 2 tonnes of compost, many hands make light work

2022 saw OiB and other organisations take over four beds in the park. The first year was tough. We discovered that the soil was completely without organic material having been used to hold short term plantings for many years. The summer started with a drought, followed by a hose pipe ban and by autumn we knew what we had to do, which was to spread two tonnes of compost over the whole area.

Despite the cold it was a very sunny day which made the process a lot of fun.

Then began the weeding as time and time again small seeds erupted into life, this is going to be a long process so if anyone feels they can help please let us know.

Otley Parish Church Christmas Tree Festival

It was great to get back to making Christmas OiB decorations in a member’s house in preparation for the festival. This year we wanted to give the kids of Otley small collections of sun flower seeds that they could plant for next summer. We try to package sunflower seeds in something (preferably compostable) to make it interesting and, as in other years, we ask the kids to take these seeds from the tree and then we replace them each day. Income from this work went to Horticap (who provide adults with learning and other disabilities training in horticulture, allied crafts and rural skills) and was worth £123.61 . All thanks to the generosity of the people of Otley.