Kington is to look blooming beautiful all year-round after the town council agreed to restock its planters to provide autumn colour

The town’s planters have been filled in May each year and a contractor has looked after them by watering them and removing and replacing any plants which failed during the season.

The contract for 21 planters runs from May 1 to October 31 and has been costing £600 per month plus VAT.

Last year some councillors said that the plants and planters had looked a bit sad and untidy into the late autumn and winter and they questioned whether there could be an autumn tidy up to make them look better in the winter.

Contractor J and P Turner, Arrow Mills Garden Centre said the cost to clear and restock the existing planters for autumn colour would be in the region of £840, with a monthly maintenance cost of £200.

The town council had set aside a budget of £7,200 for Kington in Bloom and the current total cost is £5,700.

The planters were created a couple of years ago after the council received a £10,000 grant from the Great Places to Visit Fund. 

With the additional autumn clearance and planting the cost would increase to £7,740 plus VAT plus any planter maintenance which may be required.

Councillor Esther Rolls said at a recent meeting; “I think there is nothing worse than looking at dead plants in planters and I think if we can improve the town in a small way this is a way of doing it.”

Councillor Elizabeth Banks agreed and said: “I think it would improve the look of the town.”

Members agreed to pay for the extra planting and clearance to make the town look nice into the autumn and winter.