Bus Station in Bloom

Posted on Monday 5th July 2010

Above: New planters at Skipton bus station.

Craven College students from the First and National Diplomas in Horticulture along with staff and volunteers have helped Skipton in Bloom with some significant floral improvements to the new bus station in Skipton. The project has been financially supported by Skipton in Bloom, Skipton Business Improvement District, the Town and District Councils and Jacobs. Students have been involved with the project from conception to completion, not only with planting but also ground preparation, propagation of plants and growing on of annual displays at the Craven College Centre for Horticulture's greenhouse.
 
Craven College has helped source and plant 24 self-watering half barrels (recycled from the 'Let It Grow' event), 15 barrier planters (which included designing a new fixing bracket after it was found that those supplied where not adequate), a 'Welcome to Skipton sign carved in stone and surrounding planting, grass and herbaceous border and assisted Stepping Stones with the redesign and planting of the tiered planters.
 
Feedback from the public whilst installing the new features was reported to be excellent with visitors genuinely appreciating the welcome colour to an otherwise austere site. Craven College Principal, Alan Blackwell inspected the scheme shortly after completion describing it as "superb" and stating that the "horticulture section ... continues to be at the very vanguard of championing the work of the College in enhancing the community"
 
In addition the horticulture section has also planted 181 hanging baskets for the town centre (supported by Skipton BID) and replanted the three narrow boat planters on the Canal Basin. Britain in Bloom judging for Skipton will be on 13th July and the SiB website, http://www.skiptoninbloom.co.uk has regular updates on their activities including the garden competition which has doubled its' number of entries this year.
 
Other student projects have included the narrow boat planters on the Canal Basin, 12,000 daffodils planted on The Bailey and the redesign and planting of the Cenotaph (now planted by Stepping Stones) which won the award for best war memorial from Yorkshire in Bloom last year. Horticulture co-ordinator, Michael Myers who oversaw the bus station project commented that "students enjoy being involved with projects that they can see through to completion and the College is pleased to support local projects that benefit the whole community. We hope to support many more Skipton in Bloom initiatives in the coming years and already have several ideas that, funding permitting, should further enhance the town."

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