Plymouth Garden Centre, in collaboration with Plymouth Waterfront Partnership and sponsored by Ocean Group has transformed three boats into stunning floral displays for this year’s Britain in Bloom competition.
This initiative showcases the combined efforts of the Plymouth Garden Centre team, Plymouth City Council, Ocean Group and dedicated volunteers from Hoe Community Group and apprentices from Babcock who have highlighted the community’s commitment to beautifying the city’s waterfront.
View this post on Instagram
As the competition’s judging approaches, these vibrant floral displays reflect Plymouth’s rich horticultural & maritime heritage and the power of community spirit & collaboration.
Below are descriptions of the floral displays provided by Plymouth Garden Centre for the Britain in Bloom Judges.
Bike Boat
Planting around a motorbike calls for red hot colours firing out the back, moving into softer pinks and blues, almost like riding off into the sunset!
We aim to have our plant suppliers be as local as possible. Our Non-Stop Begonias come from Mary Mortimer, located in Calstock and grown within the Tamar Valley. A family-run business that we have been working with for over 20 years, and we can confidently say that they offer the best Begonias around!
Creating this boat was a great team effort from the Hoe Volunteers and Plymouth City Council, with Kim bringing her own Begonia packs to use. The hot colours included the Non-Stop Begonia, Petunias (including the pre-existing petunias already planted) and Marigolds. We then fade into softer colours including Begonia Waterfall and Fuchsias. The waterfalls were planted inside the helmets hanging off the bike, which will cascade down over time. We planted in every nook and cranny and made use of all the space provided. Evergreens Delosperma and Armeria will spread out and last for years to come. These Perennials are also supplied by a UK grower.
Firework Boat
Celebrating the very best of British pyrotechnics, this boat, located at Napoleon Commemorative Stone, was designed all around the British Firework Championship.
Our main focus for this boat was picking plants resembling fireworks, either in their name, colour or appearance. We also selected plants that would attract pollinators, providing for our bees and other pollinators and helping address the decline in numbers.
Begonia Bonfires were planted around the edge of the plant, which will cascade down the sides. These bright pops of red mimics the embers from a firework, falling from the sky. The Geranium Fireworks explode up and outwards, giving that iconic firework look and colour. We planted the taller plants in the middle, including the Osteospermum and Coreopsis, resembling the outward look of a firework exploding. That way the shorter, but just as impactful plants aren’t hidden away. The Coreopsis is from local grower Hatch Green, located in Taunton.
Planted throughout are bright pops of colour such as Marigolds, Calibrachoa and locally grown Non-Stop Begonias. Many of our bedding packs come from Webbers, another family-run business located in North Devon. Bulbs, including Nerines Fireworks and Red Astrantia, were planted for a burst of display later in the display’s lifetime. With planning permission, we would extend that eye-catching display by planting Torbay Dazzler Cordylines, Crocosmia and Agapanthus Fireworks outside the boat. This would tie the whole display together and create a show worthy of being in the Firework Championship!
Sea Boat
Plymouth being an ocean city is such a privilege that we must do everything we can to protect it. Building off the back of the last design, this boat displays the view of a healthy, thriving seascape.
Another collaborative effort between Plymouth City Council and volunteers from Babcock. This project involves physical labour such as repainting the boat, constructing interior walls, filling the boat with bark and compost, and completing the planting and cleanup of sand, pebbles, and chipping. We picked more of the stunning, locally grown, Non-Stop Begonias in Orange and White that match the colours of the life buoys. The Bacopa, Gypsophila and White Campanula were chosen to beautifully mimic the look of sea foam.
Blue Campanula is placed throughout to give that ocean-blue look – mixed with the white Campanula, these perennials will give bursts of life for years to come.
We also picked Festuca Grass, Deschampsia, and Stipa Ponytail, not only to represent seagrasses but to mimic the ocean waves as they sway in the wind. The Astilbe, which comes from UK supplier Allensmore, effortlessly adds depth and definition to the display, looking much like a majestic wave crashing. The Sempervivum was added to represent sea corals and fill in any gaps between the plants. We also repurposed the Vinca from the Bike Boat and replanted it in this boat. Everything intertwines with the sand, ropes, large white pebbles, and blue slate chippings, creating a beautiful ocean-inspired look.
The judging of the Plymouth Britain in Bloom competition will commence this thursday the 25th of July, and results will follow soon after.
