Have you ever wondered what happens to the town’s bedding plants when the season is finished? We certainly have, and made some enquiries with Folkestone and Hythe horticultural department that carry out all the summer and winter floral displays all around the area from the parks to the street planters.
Most of the plants are annuals, which means after their display, they are literally exhausted and finished, fit only to be composted. Some of the plants are perennials and can survive all year and come back to flower once again. These were the plants we were interested in, as there were quite a few of them from dahlias to verbenas, gazanias and salvias.
It seems that most of the plants are removed from the beds and reused which is good news. We were concerned that these plants might also end up on the compost heap and were keen to rescue them if that were indeed the case, and put them to good use in some of the areas we are looking after.
However, having removed all the plants the council decided that they did indeed have a few too many perennials left and offered them to us. Always keen to save valuable resources, we jumped at the opportunity and liberated several plants which we shared with the Incredible Edible team.
Many thanks to the Folkestone and Hythe Council for thinking of us for these spare plants, and you never know, after planting out the winter bedding, there might be the possibility of a leftover plant or two – you never know!
The great thing about gardening is that nature is the master of recycling, and nothing is wasted. Plants give their all by flowering or providing fruit/vegetables, and even when finished make the best compost, and the cycle continues.
Not trying to give you the heebie jeebies with the pic of worms – but they are just the best for recyling.