What’s Planned for 2018?
The new planted hanging baskets for the village centre are on order. They are being planted with surfinias, begonias and geraniums. There will be poles erected in the village centre so we won’t have to get special permissions to use lamp posts from county. Plus there will be four baskets to greet people as they come over the railway-bridge into the village. Hook Tandoori have very kindly allowed us to put the baskets on their side wall. The baskets that Hook in Bloom looked after in this area for the last two years were always being tampered with so we are now going to hang the new ones, with water reservoirs and locks, much higher up. They will be regularly watered with a long watering pole.
At the moment we are also considering relocating the troughs as they too are regularly being damaged, which upsets villagers, but also volunteers have to constantly replant and water.
If anyone does see the new baskets in the village being tampered with please ring the police in the first instance (101) or the Parish Council office (01256 768687).
The In Bloom volunteers will be adding to last year’s planting throughout 2018. The order for wildflower seeds will soon go in as will the order for trough plants and shrubs. The village benches are down to be repainted. The beds in the front of the Community Centre will receive some care. We are also taking note as to where bulbs will be needed next year. Each year we want to plant more and more bulbs.
So when we put in the wildflower seed order, and later the bulb order, we will work out how many seeds and bulbs we have enough manpower to plant and then once they have been received, decide where they will be planted! So why not put your name down to help with the planting? Email sue.hinton@hook.gov.uk.
Get Set for Summer
When you organise your summer baskets and front gardens, think “In Bloom” and plan to enter either your hanging basket or front garden or both, into the competition. You can even nominate other gardens and baskets that you see around the village. Some of the people who won last year didn’t even enter because they just didn’t believe they would stand a chance. Luckily others saw their achievements and nominated them for a category. What a surprise they had when they got their September invite to the winner’s presentation!
The restaurants and pubs category is always a difficult category to judge and it would be good to see more village businesses entering. We are ever hopeful that the centre of Hook will be even more inviting, with more colour and more planting.
This year, in addition to the trophies and certificates, we have £25 vouchers for all 5 category winners and £15 vouchers for runners up. The prizes have been sponsored by de Jager, the leading flower bulb company and Tesco.
The Hook Flower and Produce Show
As in other villages, this has become a very popular event on Hook’s calendar and this year we are lucky enough to be able to host the show again thanks to Tesco’s Bags of Help initiative. This year’s event is on Sunday 9thSeptember in Hook community centre.
There will be a wide choice of categories to enter, so get planning, planting, growing, baking and crafting. For more details keep an eye on Hook Focus, visit http://www.hookinbloom.org.uk, watch out for the leaflets later in the year or email sue.hinton@hook.gov.uk.
One of the biggest rewards for the volunteers who organise the show, other than it being a resounding success of course, is listening to children who have won the categories and wear their rosettes with pride.
We also want to erect another chainsaw sculpture. If you come to the 9th September show you will see Rob Beckinsaw who created our rose sculpture, making a new one.
If you would like to help weed and then plant email sue.hinton@hook.gov.uk to be added to the list of helpers. You don’t have to help every time we go out, we email to say what we are up to, and if you have the time you can join us.
Hook in Bloom 