To loathe Britain in Bloom and all the hideous hanging baskets everywhere?

[GetOrfMoiLand]

I think they look vile and are a waste of money.

Everywhere seems to have the same look - I drove through Taunton and Barnstaple at the weekend, they both had hideous displays of hanging baskets and topiary thingies, all with the same flowers (bright pink and red busy lizzes, geraniums, lobelia). It makes everywhere look the same.

It's just such a waste of time. These things will be dead by the end of the summer. I know councils have a budget for gardens, but why can't they spend it on year round plants and trees, not the creation of these crappy hanging baskets. The cost of their erection (oo-err missus) and watering must be high as well.

Or am I a miserable old caaa?

[Morloth]

I love them, it is so pretty and just so very English, the city is so loud and grey and the splashes of colour are very nice.

Seems like a nice way to spend money to me, presumably the "cost" involves someone having a job.

[bruffin]

YABU

My Uncle use to regularly win prizes for the hanging baskets he did for a local petrol station. They were gorgeous

[SetSquare]

we have a floral dragon in our town

Italians take pics of it

[SetSquare]

Id post a pic of Gilbert but i'd have to change names again

[MamaLazarou]

YABU

You miserable old caaa

[GetOrfMoiLand]

Floral dragon! Gilbert

Well, at least that is interesting. In coastal devon we used to have crappy old boats filled with flowers.

I think my bitterness stems from the fact my gran entered Ilfracombe in Bloom every summer, and I had to help her plant her hanging baskets and tubs. I also had to water the bloody things with miracle gro every night.

I wish they would do things a bit differently though. The floral displays in Taunton, Barnstaple and Ilfracombe are exactly the same.

[SetSquare]

you google him, he is quite a local heartthrob

[Dumbledoresgirl]

My town was the South West regional winner last year. Imagine what it looks like to be a winner!

Mind you, I am feeling benign towards them this year as they held a painting competition and my dd won in her category.

[MovingOutOfBlighty]

Are you crazy!!!

I love all those kind of things. What do you want, some succulent plants in a metal tub?

[GetOrfMoiLand]

Jesus! Who the bloody hell thought that up (Gilbert) PMSL.

Plus, intrigued that you are specific about Italians taking pics of it? Why Italians? And what do the Spaniards take pics of?

[GetOrfMoiLand]

My gran used to win Ilf in Bloom in her category as well. We lived in a victorian house and the whole front of it was bedecked in flowers.

She planted loads of flowers in various off things, such as old piss pots, wellington boots, gnomes with their heads chopped off etc.

It was nuts and I used to trip over the damn things ('mind the bloody flowers' I can still hear her cry!)

[happywomble]

YABU - there should be more of them particularly in grim places like bus stations, station platforms.

The only ones i don't like are tacky fake flowers.

When I was young we used to go to Wales on hols and my mother always complained that there were no hanging baskets there!!

[GetOrfMoiLand]

General consensus is that I am a miserable old gimmer then

[kathyis6incheshigh]

I know what you mean.
I don't like the colour palette much - always these very strong dark pinks against black and gold painted 'heritage' street lamps.

I would like some pastels for a change.

[GetOrfMoiLand]

Yes Kathy! Someone (sort of) agrees.

There must be some other nice flowers than geraniums, busy bloody lizzies, begonias and lobelia.

Yes also to the olde worlde Victorian pastiche lamposts and bins. Everywhere looks the same.

[Pikelit]

In my village we take particular pride in refusing to take part in any of these civic malarkeys. "Britain in Bloom", "Best Kept Village"? Shove it we say and git orf our land!

[seaturtle]

Our city won so many times we were banned from taking part at one point. Or so they claim.... I don't mind the hanging baskets, but I do mind when drunk people leave the remains of destroyed hanging baskets all along our street.

Our shopping centre loos were also Toilet of the Year winners for ages. Which is a bit sadder than Britain in Bloom, I reckon.

[Chevre]

they have to use hanging baskets to stop folk nicking the plants.

[SetSquare]

seatrutle
its a bit like Irelend and the Eurovision

"i loves you Ireland"

[Chevre]

i love teh father ted eurovision episode

[silverten]

Floral dragon? That's nothing - Doncaster had a floral three piece suite last year...

[fannybanjo]

YABU

My mum spends a fews hours every week along with other volunteers clearing up other peoples litter, tidying overgrown spots of her local area all in the aid of Britain in
Bloom. Its not all about pretty hanging baskets.

If there were more people like her and less moaners in the world, the UK would be a nicer place to live.

[SetSquare]

outside the national theatre they have a green sofa

[Chevre]

thats nice. we have a clock with hands wot work and everything

[GentleOtter]

Perth looks like elf spew and it costs a bloody fortune in seedlings (done by prisoners) then compost, feed, maintainance.
The most lurid displays are always outside council buildings so for that reason alone, I stand with you, GetOrfMoiLand.