Our Sustainable Approach
Horsforth in Bloom is committed to creating beautiful, sustainable planting that benefit both our community and the environment for years to come.
Moving Beyond Annual Bedding
Traditional annual bedding displays, while beautiful, require significant resources including water, fertilisers, and frequent replanting. At Horsforth in Bloom, we're embracing a more sustainable approach that creates lasting beauty while supporting nature
Our shift towards using perennial plants, herbs, shrubs and trees, recycling green waste and using peat free compost reflect changes that many of us are making to garden more sustainably. The aim is to create beautiful spaces composed of plants that suit the conditions they are growing in.
The Benefits of Our Approach
This sustainable approach brings numerous advantages to both our community and the environment:
Wildflower Meadows
We're creating beautiful wildflower type planting that provide year-round habitat for pollinators and wildlife, while requiring minimal maintenance.
Edible Planting
Some of our sites now feature edible plants including herbs and fruit trees to provide both locally grown food as well as being beautiful.
Reuse, Reduce and Recycle
We no longer cut back plants at the end of summer but now leave old upright stems to benefit overwintering wildlife.
We sometimes use the 'chop and drop' technique, whereby early in the growing season old stems are cut, chopped and left on the soil surface as a mulch.
We collect fallen leaves from planting beds and paving, storing them in the leafmould bins we have created in Horsforth Hall Park. Some weeds and clippings are composted. We use the compost and leafmould on our planted areas and raised beds. Litter is picked from the garden areas and disposed of or recycled.
Wellbeing
Our sustainable approach promotes community wellbeing through providing access to nature on your doorstep, beautiful planting as well as with fresh herbs and fruit to pick and enjoy.
Long-term Vision
Our commitment to sustainability extends beyond individual plantings. We're working to create a network of connected green spaces throughout Horsforth that support wildlife corridors, improve air quality, and provide opportunities for future generations. Each sustainable planting is a step towards a greener, more resilient community.
Join Our Mission
If you're interested in learning more about sustainable gardening or would like to help us implement these practices in new areas, we'd love to hear from you. Together, we can create a more sustainable future for Horsforth.