Otley in Bloom have decorated a Christmas tree with giant pompom bumblebees, to symbolise the importance of bee-friendly planting in our gardens, and because it was fun making them. The Christmas tree is on display as part of the Otley Christmas Tree Festival at Otley Parish Church on Saturday 10th Dec from 10am to 6pm, and Sunday 11th Dec from 11am-4pm. For more information see the festival website.
We have cleaned up and weeded and trimmed around the gateway stones on Leeds Road and Pool Road, and repainted the lettering, so you can read the town name now.
Otley in Bloom, the Woodcraft Folk and Otley Labour Party are collaborating to renovate and replant the three flowerbeds in the grass verge at the junction of Weston Lane and Weston Drive. The Woodcraft Folk have the left hand bed which they have planted with bulbs, and they will be planting wildlife-friendly flowers later. Otley in Bloom have the centre bed, and the Labour party have the one on the right, which have been topped up with a large amount of compost, and planted with some perennials and bulbs. They will also have wildlife-friendly flowers added later. This was a big job, and lots of people turned up to help us, from the Labour party and locally, (thanks, everyone!), so we got the job done in a couple of hours, followed by a much-needed cuppa and a cake. The original rose bushes are still there, they have been pruned which hopefully will encourage them to flower better.
The flowers on the backs of the willow bike riders at the fire station have been renewed, and a few adjustments made to the bikes.
We also replanted the square wooden planters in Orchardgate behind the bus station for Autumn.
And Jacquie replanted the green bicycle outside the library too.
Since we planted the Nectar Bed in Wharfemeadows Park, we have lost some of the plants and added new ones. It will continue to change and evolve as we see what does well and what doesn’t, so it’s impossible to give a list of what’s there right now. But if you want to know which garden plants are perfect for pollinators, attractive to bees, butterflies and hoverflies, see the RHS’s list.
Otley in Bloom 