Introduction

Our team

Judges’ route

Section A - Horticultural Achievement• Impact• Horticultural Practice• Residential & Community Gardening• Business Areas & Premises• Green Spaces

Section B - Environmental Responsibility• Conservation & Biodiversity• Resource Management• Local Heritage• Local Environmental Quality• Pride of Place

Section C - Community Participation• Development & Continuity• Communication & Education• Community Participation• Year-Round Involvement• Funding & Support

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Contents

IntroductionA horticultural ‘High Five’ and a warm welcome to Woodbridge

Woodbridge’s eventful history, attractive location and welcoming people make it a pleasure to plant and maintain. The Town continues to be a buzzing centre of pleasure and commerce for so many visitors from home and abroad. Its location makes it often a garlanded gateway to the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty that encompasses Suffolk’s Coasts and Heaths.

The Heritage Lottery grant funded Tide Mill refurbishment has been completed successfully and this famous Woodbridge icon is now attracting record visitors and milling wholesome flour once again.

As for its near neighbour, the Whisstocks buildings, the latest planning application is to develop a Community Heritage Building, boatshed, restaurant and mixed use buildings with holiday homes above. This has re-started consultation which will inform a democratic decision.

The Environment Agency also carried out maintenance of the Deben Estuary Flood Defences during the year.

Probably the largest current challenge to the Woodbridge growth/quality balance is the Sizewell C expansion. Stage 2 consultations take place in 2014 - bringing to our door the national compromise between the growing need for energy and maintaining our heritage.

In the heart of the town, Elmhurst Park won a 2012/2013 Green Flag Award (the national standard for parks and green spaces) announced by the Keep Britain Tidy Group. It was the eleventh year running that the Park, owned by Woodbridge Town Council, has won - making it the only owned/directly managed Town Council Park in the UK that has won the award so many times.

Woodbridge celebrated the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in style in Elmhurst Park and continued the following day on Kingston Field (home to our new all-weather table-tennis table) with an evening of music and dance. The event culminated with spectacular fireworks and the lighting of a beacon from the Sutton side of the river. A clock to commemorate the event was erected above Barretts on the Thoroughfare funded by generous local donors.

Woodbridge library survived and was saved in time to be named as the new home of the Tourist information Centre – which sadly did not escape budget cuts.

The Town Council appointed a new Mayor, Councillor Patti Mulcahy, and will continue to support the town in many ways – not least by offering grants through which it has provided over £90,000 to various town initiatives over the last three years.

The town hosted The Olympic torch and the Tour of Britain cycle race which both passed through to much support, as did the 23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault) who exercised their Freedom of the Town with a parade in early June.

Many volunteers, council officers and businesses have supported a long list of local events. These are too many to list in full but included; Music in the Park, The Regatta, The Farmer’s Market, The Vintage & Modern Market, Holistic Fairs, food celebrations such as the Asparagus & Strawberry Fayre, the ever-popular Easter Egg Hunt, The Woodbridge 10k, music festivals, Maritime Woodbridge, the Christmas Fair, many church services and of course carols. Particularly of note is the resurrection of the Woodbridge Carnival this year, after more than 20 years.

With so much going on it is essential that we maintain the beauty of our environment. It helps build and maintain respect and pride in Woodbridge which is the overarching aim of Woodbridge in Bloom. This year we have reduced the number of hanging baskets in order to increase the number of permanent planters as we feel this adds greater value to the overall presentation of the town. Indeed, we have planted 4000 spring bulbs and are planting more trees in the town all the time. This year the Woodbridge in Bloom team of volunteers has planted forty five planters and seventy six hanging baskets thanks to the generous funding received equally from businesses and private donors.

Charles Notcutt, WiB Committee

Our team

Team member RoleJulian Royle Chairman

Barbara Dann Deputy Chairman

Mark Dann Treasurer

Jane Beaumont Competitions

John Bennett Events

Lady Caroline Blois Chairman of Amenities, Town Council

Jonathan Metcalf Woodbridge Growers

Charles Notcutt Councillor and former Mayor

Judith Wright Quiz Organiser

Ruth Ingram Woodbridge Horticultural Soc. & Friends of Woodbridge Open Spaces

Paul Tynan Bowser Watering Service

Patti Mulcahy Mayor, WTC

Deborah Pratt Transition Woodbridge

Caroline Page Suffolk County Councillor

Anthony Mather Photographer

Mary Hodge Secretary

Hana Ballard Design & website, Choose Woodbridge

Rita James Choose Woodbridge Coordinator

Chris Harrold Choose Woodbridge Chairman

Map & Judges’ Route

Time Place What to look out for...10.00 Meet at Whistlestop Cafe, Station Platform planting, planters and baskets at the cafe

10.10 Railway Bridge Baskets, tubs, views of river reed beds and Sutton Hoo

10.15 Drive to Tide Mill (via landmarks) Skate park, recycling, Tide Mill, Art Club, Whisstocks

10.25 Drive to Jubilee Clock (via land-marks)

Nunn’s Mill site and on to Jubilee Clock & Barretts

10.35 Drive to Elmhurst Park (via land-marks)

Hamblin Rd Carpark, Napoleonic Gun, hanging baskets and the fabulous park including Scout garden – telescope – Omar Khayyam rose bed – herbaceous bor-der – shrub planting along south east link road – chil-dren’s play area – conservation area – copper beech tree – bedding – carpet bedding of Woodbridge Coat of Arms, Green Flag (11th successive time winners) and sundial

11.10 Drive to St Mary’s School (via landmarks)

Fitzgerald Green, St John’s Churchyard, Castle Street Park

11.20 St Mary’s School - Project 1 Amazing garden with superb projects - meet Mrs Fraser

11.45 - 12.00

Drive to Fen Meadow - Project 2(via landmarks)

Seckford Theatre Sculpture garden, Market Hill. Meet Dr Anne Bannister of Friends of Fen Meadow

12.20 Drive to Notcutts (via landmarks) Carpark, verges, Framfield House & Notcutts plantings

12.35 Kingston Field & lunch Allotments, Playground, Kingston Field park, table tennis table

Section A1 - Horticultural Achievement - Impact

Woodbridge Tide Mill - Planters15/6/13

Crest - Elmhurst Park15/6/13

Woodbridge Tide Mill - Planters15/6/13

The Omar Khayyam Rose from our

Town Crest in Elmhurst Park 1/7/13

Suffolk County Council dense shrub planting - Lime Kiln Quay Rd 15/6/13

Sculpture Garden - Seckford Theatre15/6/13

Market Hill Planters15/6/13

Planting at Notcutts15/6/13

Planting at Notcutts

15/6/13

Planting at Framfield House

15/6/13

Section A2 - Horticultural Achievement - Practice

Elmhurst Park Panorama15/6/13

Roses in Elmhurst Park15/6/13

Suffolk County Council dense shrub plantings - Lime Kiln Quay Rd 15/6/13

Council Plantings - Lime Kiln Quay Rd 15/6/13

Plantings at Elmhurst Park

15/6/13

Community Centre 15/6/13

New plantings at entrance to Elmhurst Park 29/6/13

St Mary’s School Gardening Team leaders 1/7/13

St Mary’s School Garden Club 1/7/13

Flower Show 2012

7/7/12

The Woodbridge Growers

29/6/13

Wilding Court (WiB residential street prize winner 2012) 1/7/13

Carpark at Framfield House15/6/13

Thoroughfare 15/6/13

Claire Avenue - residentialDate 15/6/13

Woodbridge School Chapel Lawn

15/6/13

Seckford Theatre & Sculpture Garden 15/6/13

Section A3 - Horticultural Achievement - Residential & commuity Gardening

Kingston Field Allotments28/6/13

Elmhurst Kitchen Garden29/6/13

Fen Meadow - Community

Group 23/9/12Kingston Field Allotments29/6/13

Kitchen Garden Elmhurst Park

29/6/13

Foxburrow Farm 1/7/13The Kings Head hanging baskets 15/6/13

Barretts of Woodbridge15/6/13

Planters at Station Cafe

15/6/13

Section A4 - Horticultural Achievement - Business Areas and Premises

Well planted carpark - Framfield House 15/6/13

Tide Mill planters by riverside 15/6/13

Woodbridge Bowls Club 28/6/13

Cafe Nero 15/6/13

Woodbridge Art Club15/6/13

Turban Centre outside post office 15/6/13

Top Floor Studios office

29/6/13

Notcutts & The Cherry Tree pub

15/6/13

Section A5 - Horticultural Achievement - Green Spaces

Elmhurst Park 15/6/13

Elmhurst Park 15/6/13

Kingston Field Parkland 15/6/13

Kingston Field Playground 15/6/13

Castle Street Green 29/6/13

Skate park

15/6/13

Broomheath13/08/12

Fen Meadow 23/9/12

Outdoor table tennis table15/6/13

Verge at McCarthy & Stone retirement home 15/6/13

Queen’s House School insect habitats 5/6/13

Elmhurst conservation area 28/6/143

Elmhurst conservation area28/6/13

Sparrow hawk, Fen Meadow 11/6/13

Sid the Seal enjoying the Deben at Woodbridge22/2/13

Fen Meadow - wild flowers including Southern Marsh Orchids 28/6/13

Section B1 - Environmental ResponsibilityConservation & Biodiversity

Adder at Broomheath 30/6/13

Fen Meadow 23/9/12

Water Meadows and River Reed beds

26/8/12

Reedbeds by River Deben29/6/13

Broomheath 13/8/12

Talking bees - beehive at

Elmhurst Kitchen Garden 28/6/13

Wormery at St Mary’s School

1/7/13

Wormery at Kitchen Garden, Elmhurst Park 29/6/13

Clothing bank, Elmhurst Park29/6/13

Recycling bins, Community Hall29/6/13

Compost beds at Kitchen Garden, Elmhurst park 29/6/13

Section B2 - Environmental ResponsibilityResource Management

Clothing bank 29/6/13

Flood defences check 2012

Water butt at St Mary’s School 1/7/13

St Mary’s School Sheep made

from recycled chicken wire &

carrier bags 1/7/13

St Mary’s School composting 1/7/13

SCDC Air Quality

Assessment 2012

River Deben - a central part of Woodbridge 20/2/13

Buttrams Mill 5/12/12

Tide Mill - recently restored to working order. The jewel in the Woodbridge Crown - 15/6/13

Wild Southern Marsh Orchids

at Fen Meadow 28/6/13

Whisstocks - An artist’s impression of the new development to this historical site in the heart of our town

Section B3 - Environmental Responsibility Local Heritage

The Omar Khayyam rose from our Town Crest, Elm-hurst Park 28/6/13

Sutton Hoo This hauntingly beautiful

255 acre estate, with far-reaching views

over the river Deben, is home to one of the

greatest archaeological discoveries of all

time. 5/12/13

Blue Plaques for our famous historical residents 5/12/13

Fitzgerald Green 29/6/13 Named after famous resident Edward Fitzgerald who was a poet and writer, best known as the poet of the first and most famous English translation of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.

Shire Hall 15/6/13

Dog bins are everywhere to keep our dog-loving town tidy Local litter campaign 2012 &

2013

Section B4 - EnvironmentalResponsibility Local Environmental Quality

Whisstocks Development - artist’s impression

Whisstocks as it is today - 15/6/13

Nunn’s Mill development - artists impression

Nunn’s Mill as it today - 1/7/13

Two Planning Applications for the development of the derelict Whisstocks and Nunn’s Mill sites inWoodbridge have been submitted to Suffolk Coastal District Council. Both schemes were designed following a lengthy public consultation process involving Suffolk Coastal District Council, Woodbridge Town Council, The Suffolk Design Review Panel, The Whisstocks Project Community Interest Company (WPCIC), and vari-ous public meetings.

The new designs, which have been commissioned by Norwich-based developer FW Properties on behalf of Whisstocks Developments Ltd and its funder, Investec Bank, would create about 6,000 square metres of mixed-use accommodation.

The two schemes, located in Tide Mill Way and Quayside, are designed to revitalise sites which have been va-cant for more than 20 years. Together, the projects will cost £8 million to build.

Julian Wells, a director of FW Properties, said: “We have paid close attention to the views of the local communi-ty and this is reflected in the final plans, which have been submitted to the planning authority. The designs are sophisticated, in both architectural and place-making terms. The proposals for Whisstocks will make it a highly distinctive place to live, or visit – but without taking the visual emphasis away from the Grade I listed Tide Mill. The design is sensitive in the way the buildings are arranged on the site. At Nunn’s Mill, the new scheme responds creatively to the historic precedents – but we’ve avoided pastiche architecture.”

Mr Wells said that if the schemes were approved, he believed they would bring economic benefits to Wood-bridge, and would significantly increase the Town’s offer to visitors: “The combination of the river front com-mercial spaces, a high-quality restaurant, the community buildings, and the holiday homes will add valu-able new social and commercial energies. The mixture of uses will also generate more jobs, locally.”

Market Hill Pump15/6/13

Napoleonic Gun, Red Lion15/6/13

Sculpture GardenSeckford Theatre 15/6/13

New Woodbridge Signs for 2013 - 28/6/13

Sundial In Elmhurst Park15/6/13

Market Hill - benches around trees,

with planters 15/6/13

Section B5 - EnvironmentalResponsibility Pride of Place

War Memorial, Market Hill15/6/13

The rose from our Town Crest in Elmhurst park 22/2/13

Raised tiled floor and new sign at

Cross Corner 1/7/12Drummer Boy at SCDC offices 5/12/12

Jubilee Clock at Barretts

23/12/12

Transition Woodbridge - This is a relatively new group which has gathered momentum over the last 12 months seeking sites for bee- friendly planting: The Shed down by the river, Woodbridge Methodist Church, and Ash Close behind the Cherry Tree. Each sown with a wild flower mix and small plants. 30/6/13

Friends of Fen Meadow - This new group (2012) is working with the Town Council and Wildlife Trust to bring conservation to Fen Meadow. They have already got designated conservation and biodiverse areas where they are growing Southern Marsh Orchids and other wild flowers with great success. 29/6/13

St Mary’s School - The Garden Club at St Mary’s School has gone from strength to strength with help from Alison Finlay of the RHS. Their latest project sees them researching and growing their own wheat to grind into flour to make their own bread. A new and adventurous project! 1/7/13

Section C1 - Comunity ParticipationDevelopment & Continuity

Kingston Field Allotments - Since the redivision of land to create more, smaller allotments, this area has flourished. The introduction of the annu-al Woodbridge Allotment Competition in 2012 has improved the standard considerably. Popularity has risen steadily and the overall appearance has got better & better. There is now a waiting list for allotments which demon-strates the success and continuity of this project. 30/6/13

Kitchen Garden, Elmhurst ParkThe Woodbridge Growers have been cultivating edible produce on this site since 2010. The team of some 15 green-fingered enthusiasts is expanding as word spreads and the garden has come on in leaps and bounds. It is a real credit to the team and, after years of ground work, now a beauty to behold. 30/6/13

New website - Our site; www.wood-bridgeinbloom.wordpress.com has been created by Choose Woodbridge and feeds into its main website www.choosewoodbridge.co.uk which gets over 3,000 hits a month. This is a new development to help draw attention to Woodbridge in Bloom and make us a more central part of the community.

Our tie up with Choose Woodbridge also means we’re getting more exposure via social media and in the press.

Section C2 - Community ParticipationCommunication & Education

We’re raising awareness and valuable funds through our 2014 calendar which is currently in production

St Mary’s School uses its garden for every single subject on the curriculum - from science to maths and even French! That’s why it won our coveted School Garden Project Award in October 2012. The Yr5 Wheat Project is quite astounding - read more under section C1

Woodbridge Growers - a community group 29/6/13

Town Council - Photo of new Mayor Patti Malccahy

Transition Woodbridge - a community group 29/6/13

St John’s Churchyard1/7/13

Woodbridge Horticultural Society -hosts

the local flower show and fills the calendar

with horticultural talks and gatherings

St Mary’s School - Yr6 digging up spuds for their annual BBQ 1/7/13

Section C3 - Community ParticipationCommunity Particpation

St Mary’s Churchyard15/6/13

Local businesses & groups support the group through donations and sponsorship opportunities These include local hotel; Ufford Park, Local charity; The Seckford Foundation, cafes and retailers within and around Woodbridge and a whole host of private donors. There are more than 70 supporters this year. With a predicted in-crease in donors for 2013/14

Friends of Fen Meadow -

Community groupSuffolk Council - Scout Garden in Elmhurst Park 30/6/13

Rock Barracks: soldiers from the 23rd

Engineers rgt repointed park wall

WiB host two Quiz Nights each calendar year to raise funds for the group and to update and socialise with our valued supporters. We made £540 at our last Quiz which included a lively raffle!

The Choose Woodbridge website shows the programme of wildlife walks, talks and open gardens as well as events for youngsters at Foxburrow Farm and other places

Presentations night25/10/12

Woodbridge Flower Show - 7/7/12

Section C4 - Community ParticipationYear-Round Involvement

On Thursday Oct 25th we held our annual pres-entation of local awards for various categories of gardening. The evening was well attended and included a raffle and refreshments.

The winners were:Best Newcomer: Mrs Jesse DaySeasonal bedding or permanent planting: Mr Frank ProctorResidential basket or window display: Mrs Val HooperCommercial Premises: Sarenka KnightCommunity Garden or Street: Wilding CourtSchool Garden Project: St Mary’s Primary SchoolAllotment: Mr & Mrs Finbow and Mrs S. Nelson

WiB Garden Competition -July 2012 (Photo 15/6/13)

St Mary’s School Garden Club: All term, every term - with families helping throughout term time and in the holidays (photos 1/7/13)

Allotment Competition - July 2012 (photos 1/7/13)

Town Council Grant - applied for for 2013/14 season. This is usually for around £450-£500

We’re working on the 2014 calendar - a new inititative whereby local businesses sponsor a month at a cost of £100. Early take-up has been very promising

Section C5 - Community ParticipationFunding & Support

Private Donatations - Thanks to the generosity of local residents and businesses we raised over £3,500 for the 2012/13 season. We hope to see a similar amount from private donors this year.

The Friends of Fen Meadow is just one group of volunteers who give up their time and skills to ensure our communal areas are cared for in accordance with the Suffolk Wildlife Trust and local authorities - and stay true to the town’s history and Suffolk’s horticultural heritage.

Thank you!

We hope you enjoyed reading about Woodbridge in Bloom as much as we

enjoy planning, planting, growing and maintaining our beautiful town.

This year’s submission was carefully prepared by The Bridge Marketing on behalf of

Choose Woodbridge and Woodbridge in Bloom.

www.thebridgemarketing.co.uk | 01394 383646