Gardeners will create fields of gold in public spaces across UK this year to mark RHS Britain in Bloom’s 50th Anniversary
Half a million sunflower seeds will be sown by gardening groups all over Britain this year starting in National Gardening Week (14-21 April) to celebrate 50 golden years of Europe’s largest community gardening campaign: Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Britain in Bloom.
In honour of this landmark anniversary ‘Growing for Gold’ is the 2014 theme of RHS Britain in Bloom. Many of the 300,000
volunteers who work year round to transform our towns, villages and cities, will be sowing a variety of
pollinator-friendly sunflowers including the Giant Single, the Moonwalker, Taiyo and Vanilla Ice,
all provided for free by the RHS.
RHS Community Horticulture Manager, Stephanie Eynon, said: “What better way to celebrate this huge anniversary for Britain than a mass planting of
beautiful golden sunflowers. These gorgeous and uplifting plants have been known to grow an astonishing 20 feet high, which reflects the sort of spirit and drive we associate with RHS Britain in Bloom volunteers.
“We’re providing the seeds as a big ‘thank you’ to all the industrious and passionate people who work year-round to make the UK clean, green and beautiful. It is
also a chance to do something big for the environment. As well as being symbolic of RHS Britain in Bloom’s 50th year, these glorious fields of gold will provide vital food for pollinators this summer.”
RHS community gardening groups, local councils, schools and other similar organisations will stage thousands of ‘Growing for Gold’ events during National Gardening Week meaning by summer-time our streets, neighbourhoods and green spaces will be sprinkled with gold.
The story of Britain in Bloom began in 1964 when the tourist board wanted a way to market the country through floral displays. Since the RHS took over as the organising body in 2001, the focus of the campaign has widened to include helping the environment, strengthening communities and inspiring more people to get involved.*
For information on how to take part visit: http://www.rhs.org.uk/britaininbloomlaunch
For more information please contact Ed Horne on 020 7821 3356 or [email protected].
Britain Growing for Gold in 2014
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