Gardening helps improve mental health
The Poole in Bloom competition this year has been officially announced to start on the Poole projects website of BCP Council. This is a relaunched programme which was very popular previously with local residents, in partnership with Revd. Chris Colledge, the chairman of Bournemouth in Bloom.
Ms. Chloe Bailey, the environmental promotions officer of BCP told The Breaker:“We are highly aware that these are uncertain times that we find ourselves in. The focus for this year’s competition is very much on community growth, and recognising the role and positive contribution gardening can have for our mental health”
This year’s competition is very much on recognising the role and positive contribution gardening can have for our mental health
Ms. Chloe Bailey, the environmental promotions officer of BCP
Mrs. Rachel Wells, 42, a local resident said that this is an effective way to make people interested in gardening, and a lot more beautiful gardens “can bring a total new appearance and then better tourism to BCP local area after the pandemic”.
Meanwhile, Councillor L-J Evans from Poole People party has said that the instant mental impact which we can see quickly on people can be “a positive distraction from dark thoughts around the Coronavirus to brighten up the community”.
This is the positive distraction from dark thoughts around the Coronavirus recently
Councillor L-J Evans
Some plants can damage your garden
The Breaker has received an opinion about underlying risks in planting trees from Mr. Peter Holloway, the leader of Parks in mind project in BCP area, who comes from a nature conservation background and has been employed for many years managing nature reserves in the conurbation.
According to Mr. Holloway, any effort to encourage people to protect nature is beautiful and can be taken advantage to have effects on the conservation of wild life. However, participants should think a little bit deeper before transforming their garden. Take rhododendron as an example, although it is beautiful, it is quite damaging to wild life and might lead to toxicity. There are many other trees which people should be taken under careful consideration before growing.
Despite its beauty, rhododendron is quite damaging to wild life
Mr. Peter Holloway, the leader of Parks in mind project
Do not send your submission now
Ms. Chloe Bailey emphasised that the organizing committee do not motivate any undue pressure for massive transformations or investments. It is expected that they “will not receive many entries for a good few weeks, and most likely until way into June and early July due to entrants working on participants’ gardens, and waiting until everything is in bloom before submitting”.
Submissions can be sent as photograph by the end of July to:
Councillor May Haines
5 Lagoon Road
Poole
BH14 8JT
Or via email to environmentvolunteers@bcpcouncil.gov.uk
