Established almost 26 years ago, Launceston in Bloom operates under the careful supervision of chair Georgie Adams, and vice chair Rosemarie Lane. The group is made up of volunteers from the community of all gardening abilities. It presents a chance for residents of the town to get together, socialise and keep active, while giving something back to their community.

Launceston Life caught up with some members of the team at the Westgate Street coach park on a warm, sunny morning. The coach park was one of the group’s focus areas this year, tackling what was a very overgrown and neglected area of town.

While it took some time to get the surrounding walls cleaned and painted, the group were busy creating a welcoming corner of town, the perfect drop-off point for visitors arriving on the bus!

With support from Launceston Town Council, who set about cleaning and painting the walls of the coach park earlier this year, the team laid down two lorry loads of topsoil, supplied free of charge by local businessman Dave Bennett. Further work included planting a new tree in the corner, along with the addition of flowers and shrubs and a new planter by the bus stop, bringing a burst of colour to the coach park.

Volunteer and Treasurer Iris said: “This is where you arrive in Launceston, and it was a mess, so we have been working on planting up a variety of plants, which don’t require much care, to brighten it up and greet our visitors on their trip to Launceston.

“We do all of this voluntarily, meeting on a Wednesday morning, usually for two hours. People of all abilities can take part; it is very sociable.”

Meanwhile, on St Thomas Road, four members of the group were busy planting Mediterranean rock flowers on the wall that overlooks the rolling green hills, under the ever watchful eye of Launceston Castle.

Chair, Georgie Adams, was leading a small team in the planting along St Thomas Road. She said: “I am so pleased we are undertaking the project at the coach park. It has taken a long time to get to this point, but we are working on a major planting plan up there.

“We also do a lot on Northgate Street; it’s a very well-used walkway, so we’ve been cutting back the growth there, and revealed some ancient cobbles. Windmill Woods is another area of town we have been focusing on, and we took over the lovely new recreation site at Ridgegrove Park from Cormac. Similarly, we help to keep Lanstephan Play Park tidy, and we also look after the three huge flower beds on Tower Street.”

Launceston in Bloom receives annual grants to make all the work they do possible and, thanks to the generosity of Launceston Rotary, Cornwall Community Foundation and Launceston Town Council, the team has been able to take on more projects to keep Launceston in bloom.

In addition to the weekly digging, planting and general tidying up of Launceston’s outdoor spaces, the group is also responsible for distributing the many colourful hanging baskets and troughs around town, made up by Homeleigh Garden Centre for local shops and businesses, and prizes are awarded for the best-kept displays.

One of the team’s most impressive projects was the planting of daffodils along the Link Road in the Millennium year. Twenty-five years on, people walk and drive past a sea of yellow during the spring months, as thousands of daffodils come into bloom.

This summer, Launceston in Bloom will be holding a flower festival in conjunction with Launceston u3a and St Mary Magdalene Church. The festival, to be held in the church over four days from 17th July, will celebrate ‘the Joy of Flowers’ with around 40 floral arrangements representing local community groups and organisations lining the aisles of St Mary’s. Last year, the festival raised £1,000 for St Mary’s. The event is free to attend, but donations will be gratefully accepted for the church.

Would you like to volunteer with Launceston in Bloom? Perhaps you’d like to know more about their projects, make a donation of tools or supplies, or would like to keep up-to-date about the flower festival. Find Launceston in Bloom on Facebook.

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