Newbury’s parks and open spaces are looking beautiful and in full flower.

The summer beds and hanging baskets are planned and designed by Newbury Town Council, together with English Landscapes, a year in advance.

A great deal of thought is put into the process to ensure that Newbury has varied and colourful displays throughout the town centre and surrounding areas during the summer months.

Victoria Park, Greenham House Gardens, St John’s Memorial Gardens, Old Hospital Green, Peace Gardens and the hanging baskets found throughout Newbury’s town centre are all looking fantastic.

We would like to encourage everyone to have a walk and enjoy the beautiful displays.

Councillor Ifor Sheldon, Leader of the Council, said, “What a joy it is to see such spectacular floral displays in Newbury once again.  I would encourage everyone to walk through our town parks and take time to enjoy the beautiful displays that the Town Council have worked so hard to create."

Well done them and their planters. I saw the one at the old Hospital Green today and was well impressed. Colourful Newbury, especially since there has been so little rain.

It must cost a bomb to achieve this look and maintain it.  Can such displays REALLY be justified in current times, where every single penny is fought over?  Pretty as they are, when it comes to people losing their jobs because of cut backs then I would much rather that these luxuries were cut rather than jobs.  Can they also be justified when water is such a precious commodity and these beds get a daily drenching?

Quoted from spartacus

It must cost a bomb to achieve this look and maintain it.  Can such displays REALLY be justified in current times, where every single penny is fought over?  Pretty as they are, when it comes to people losing their jobs because of cut backs then I would much rather that these luxuries were cut rather than jobs.  Can they also be justified when water is such a precious commodity and these beds get a daily drenching?

Yes people are losing jobs, but these displays are tended and planted by people.  If we didn't have them more people lose jobs.

Quoted from spartacus

It must cost a bomb to achieve this look and maintain it.  Can such displays REALLY be justified in current times, where every single penny is fought over?  Pretty as they are, when it comes to people losing their jobs because of cut backs then I would much rather that these luxuries were cut rather than jobs.  Can they also be justified when water is such a precious commodity and these beds get a daily drenching?

Yes, we could stop cleaning the streets or cutting the grass........
We are not in that deep a crisis that the nice things in life that put a smile on peoples faces should be done away with.
I think you are getting a little carried away. As far as cut backs are concerned, look upon them as efficiency improvements.

Quoted from brian

We are not in that deep a crisis that the things in life that put a smile on peoples faces should be done away with.
I think you are getting a little carried away. As far as cut backs are concerned, look upon them as efficiency improvements.

I'm not really advocating that they should be cut from the public purse. ... they look great.... but try justifying paying for flowers (annuals at that! So they'll all die off in a few weeks time...) to someone that's given the tin tack..

Anyway, if we want something that'll put the smile back on people's faces my vote goes for bringing back public hangings....  We've got a wonderful empty Plaza which would make a great setting.  Clear out the dead wood in the nation's jails as an efficiency improvement to make way for the next lot of dregs from society...

Quoted from spartacus

I'm not really advocating that they should be cut from the public purse. ... they look great.... but try justifying paying for flowers (annuals at that! So they'll all die off in a few weeks time...) to someone that's given the tin tack..

Anyway, if we want something that'll put the smile back on people's faces my vote goes for bringing back public hangings....  We've got a wonderful empty Plaza which would make a great setting.  Clear out the dead wood in the nation's jails as an efficiency improvement to make way for the next lot of dregs from society...

Justify the empty and overgrown beds to the gardeners who would have the tin tack, as you call it, when their jobs are cut.

As far as public hanging, could we have flogging as well. I'll bring me knitting.