A floral features supplier which provides hanging baskets to towns and villages across the UK has taken time out to prepare a totally different floral display – by helping to plant more than 1,000 daffodil bulbs along the road outside its front gate.
Staff from Plantscape, which is based in Hulland village, near Ashbourne, have helped a group of 24 local residents bury the bulbs in grass verges close to and throughout Hulland, as well as on the village green.
The company lent a hand after it was contacted by the nearby Smith Hall solar farm, which wanted to help brighten up the area to make up for disruption caused during the farm’s construction.
The farm asked if Plantscape, which usually supplies and maintains hanging baskets and floor-standing planters on behalf of hundreds of councils and other organisations, could use its connections in the horticulture business to buy a host of daffodil bulbs.
This it duly did, before offering to help the villagers plant the bulbs as well.
Not only that, but the company’s managing director, Mark Stone, also laid on refreshments for the volunteers at his home nearby before they got on with their work, also helped by Tony Raftey, site manager of the Smith Hall Solar Farm.
Tim Sadler, leader of the Hulland village steering committee, said: “We are extremely grateful to Plantscape for buying the bulbs on our behalf, for helping us to plant them and for Mark’s hospitality before the event.
“Everyone worked very hard planting the daffodils, which really promise to add a show of colour next year, and we also enjoyed finding out more about Plantscape and the work it does every year.”
Mr Stone has also invited the villagers to tour the company’s greenhouses when its products are in full bloom next May.
He said: “Although we have been based in Hulland for quite a long time, we haven’t really had much contact with the village, so it was very enjoyable meeting the residents and helping them to plant the bulbs.
“It was a great community event and I’m sure we will all be rewarded with a wonderful display of daffodils in the Spring.”
Plantscape, which was acquired by landscape services, estate management and play space services providers TCL Group this year, is the largest supplier of floral features in the UK, with customers based all over the country.
