Evington in Bloom is judged

Two judges from East Midlands in Bloom visited Evington.  They were taken on a 2 hour route, given a portfolio especially written for them, which highlighted all year round work, and asked to judge three floral entries at The Cedars, (a pub. in Main Street, Evington), Ginns and Gutteridge (a funeral business in Main Street, Evington) and a front garden along Spencefield Lane.

Here is the story of their visit, told in pictures:

The two judges, John Constable and Julie Walker looked at the floral entry at the Cedars, where there were hanging baskets, a long raised bed, eight containers of pelargoniums along the front and carefully maintained shrubs at the front and in the rear garden.  They saw their composting too.  In the last picture the judges are looking at the large fish pond.  Marking for all entries is based on their three pillars of community involvement, environmental responsibility and horticultural achievement.

During the tour, the judges met  Evington ward councillor, Zuffar Haq (left)  and Evington’s litter champion and womble, Addy Tyler.  (right)  They are pictured here with Julie Walker, East Midlands in Bloom judge.

On route to the next stop, the judges passed the postbox topper of knitted flowers made by the Knit and Natter group to highlight the work of Evington in Bloom.

Inside Ginns and Gutteridge shop, the judges sit down to listen to a presentation.  This starts with Helen explaining the portfolio, a document that tells the judges the things that happened in Evington in different times and places.  Included in this was a short summary of the work of Evington’s six It’s Your Neighbourhood groups, that will be judged by an East Midlands in Bloom judge in August, and the work of other environmental groups supporting Evington in Bloom.  Following Helen, Rob Watson explained the work of the Evington Echo and links with Decentered Media and Soar Sound Radio.  He explained the importance for Bloom and other community run projects to have a media outlet to tell their own stories, – stories that help make people and communities thrive and are written for that purpose – and are not stories to sell for profit.  Finally, Chris Hossack, the route leader for this tour, spoke about the route.  The judges would judge the second floral entry – Ginns and Gutteridge’s funeral business, then visit  Evington library and then Evington’s War Memorial, then a floral entry –  a front garden on Spencefield Lane.  Following that, the judges would be taken to St, Denys Church,  Piggy’s Hollow,  Evington’s Arboretum, and finally to Evington Park.

The judges look at the plants at Evington Library, where Evington in Bloom maintains a flower bed and Leicester City Council employees look after containers of fruit and vegetables.

The picture above shows Sarah Brookes (left) (from Ginns and Gutteridge) with Helen and Julie (right) outside their shop with floral tubs by the window.  The other three pictures are selected from the seven containers and one cut out Ginns and Gutteridge look after.  They provide flowers and maintain all these areas, sponsoring and supporting Evington in Bloom.

The judges walked from the shopping area to the War memorial.  The pictures show containers and a horticultural grassland looked after by Evington in Bloom volunteers.  Then on the right the judges and others (From left to right:  John Constable, (judge), Chris Hossack, (tour lead),  Julie Walker,( judge), Helen Pettman (Evington in Bloom coordinator) Harry Pettman (Bloom volunteer and driver). and Val Fisher (Friends of Evington trustee) looking at the War memorial site where there are two flower beds, trees, benches and the memorial itself.  This area was full of spring flowers earlier in the year.  2014 was the year of a wonderful project Leicester City Council organised in consultation with Friends of Evington/Evington in Bloom and other stakeholders.  Grants from both the City Council and Friends of Evington enabled the War memorial and slabs to be cleaned and then from the community, there was a carved bench, a time capsule, a special publication, an opening and a Peace event.

This photograph shows the Medieval moated site called Piggy’s Hollow, after a Victorian farmer who used to keep pigs here and smear the sides of the moat with manure, reputedly to stop children’s games and sledging there.  Chris Hossack is explaining the history of the site while John Constable studies the interpretation board.  This site is maintained by Chris and his team for biodiversity.  Grass paths are cut for access.

From the embankment for the moated site, the judges walk on into Evington’s lovely arboretum.  The judges and Chris are admiring the view where the path leads them down to Evington brook.  They go on a half hour walk through the arboretum, where they see a variety of trees, some donated by members of the public.  The arboretum is maintained by the LCC team based in Evington Park and looks lush and green this time of year despite a summer with low rainfall.  They see a large variety of trees, including fruit trees, and a large meadow that forms a bee corridor,  The route through the arboretum finishes at Shady Lane car park, which was once the site of an American camp and then a prisoner of war camp during the 2nd World War.

In Evington Park, the judges meet Sarah Ingram, the craft gardener, who explains her coordinating and gardening work.  She also explains about the necessity to remove all the box hedging in the Burnaby gardens, that have been doubly attacked by fungus and insects and can’t be saved.

Many thanks go to Harry and the Bowls Club for refreshments after the tour.  A display of many hanging baskets made by the players greeted them as well