Gardens and Mazes

Phoebe Boulanger was sitting in the public seats at the beginning of the council meeting. She's the lady from Hayfield Garden, the community garden just over the bridge, and she'd come to show a planting programme to the council for the flower beds around the Library and the front of the Council Chambers.
Her plan is for a trellis up the side wall of the Library (already donated), which will support honeysuckle, clematis and jasmine, with as much permanent planting of cottage garden flowers beneath as possible. She's looking at shrubs and flowers with long flowering times, to create interest in the garden for as long a period as possible through the year. She's also looking at annuals which would, hopefully, self seed among the permanent plants. The garden would be low maintenance, and encourage birds and bees. For the planting and weeding, she welcomes volunteers - the council will put a request for volunteers out on their website, and they're also thinking about involving local groups. There is a small budget to fund the gardening from both the Council and the Library, and Phoebe has found someone who's interested in topiary who is prepared to trim the bushes by the Library into the shape of a shelf full of books.
It was also suggested that there should be a small flowerbed in Hay which could be planted up specially for special occasions - for instance something for Josie Pearson's Paralympic win would have been nice.

Phoebe also had a leaflet with her advertising Hayfield Garden, which is also looking for new members - it's not all heavy digging! There's room for people who seriously want to grow vegetables, people who only have time to go less regularly to water plants or keep records (and like any other group, they have meetings), and people who just want to pop in occasionally to socialise. Everyone who takes part has access to fresh, organic produce, and the surplus is sold to raise funds. Their website is www.racquetyfarm.co.uk/hayfield-garden

Meanwhile, the local Lions group want to build a Maze!
They're thinking of something quite small, with something in the middle, perhaps on an Olympic theme. One of the places they've been looking at is Black Lion Green, where there is a children's play area that needs attention. There is also an area off Warren Close which might be more suitable (thinking of the steep hill down to Black Lion Green, which would make access a bit dodgy for those with mobility problems). This idea was received with great enthusiasm, and there was even talk of making a maze into a paying tourist attraction.