Valley Gardens to have first veggie plot in Harrogate public park
25 June 2009
Harrogate's Valley Gardens is to become the first public park in the district to have a 'veggie plot'.
Seeds sown in the spring by pupils from Western County Primary School have flourished and pupils are planting their produce in a special garden set aside for them near to the bandstand.
Kate Dawson, the council's Parks Development Officer, says that vegetables do make lovely horticultural displays but that if they grow successfully Western County Primary School will enter the Harrogate Allotment Show in August.
She said:
"We have never had a vegetable garden in our public parks but we want to promote healthy living and we thought why not in the Valley Gardens?
"Growing a few vegetables is something these children's grandparents probably did but perhaps not their parents.
But everyone is being urged to have a go even if it is only creating a small herb garden or growing a few lettuces.
These young pupils have taken care of their seedlings and we have some healthy plants which I am sure will give us some produce.
No only will the plants look good in this prominent position, the pupils will be able to harvest from the garden throughout the summer."
This initiative will also work towards Harrogate's entry in the National in Bloom Awards.
The 49
th Annual Harrogate Allotment Show will take place between 11.00 am and 4.30 pm on Sunday, 16 August 2009 at the Sun Pavilion in Valley Gardens, Harrogate.
It is being jointly organised by the Harrogate and District Allotments' and Gardens' Federation and Harrogate Borough Council.
PHOTO OPPORTUNITY:
9.50 am Friday, 26 June 2009 behind the bandstand in Valley Gardens, Harrogate.
Members of the Harrogate Allotments' Federation will help pupils plant the vegetables.
Media contact:
Lynne Mee, Communications and Media Manager, 01423 556022 email
lynne.mee@harrogate.gov.uk or mobile 07525 987921 or 07884 226409