Floral Displays
Around 150,000 bedding plants and 16,000 bulbs are planted every year in ornamental flower displays at roundabouts, parks and gardens across the Borough.
Spring Bedding
The requirements for spring bedding are determined by Leisure Services in May and planting takes place from 1 October each autumn for displays the following spring.
Early Summer Bedding
These requirements are determined in October of the preceding year, for planting from mid-May. Early summer bedding is planted at seaside locations once the risk of frost has past.
Summer Bedding
These requirements are determined in October of the preceding year, for planting from 1 June each summer.
The site contractor is responsible for:
- Supplying and planting bedding plants
- Keeping weed free
- Removing dead flowers from plants and bulbs
- Incorporating organic matter
- Fertilising
- Watering as required
Continental Landscapes bedding displays 
Leisure Services is responsible for:
- Determining the locations for bedding schemes
- Designing the planting schemes
Bedding schemes are amongst the most expensive forms of landscaping to provide and extremely labour intensive to maintain. When determining locations for planting a number of factors must be considered including accessibility, the safety of staff visiting the site, the availability of water and the conditions in which the plants would be required to grow. Leisure Services also provides some of its schemes with the help of sponsors.
Regrettably, due to the exposed environment (gales, winter storms and salt spray) conditions do not permit the successful growth of bedding plants along the promenade area during winter months.
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