text: Shrewsbury will soon be awash with colour as the Town Council’s summer planting scheme gets firmly underway.
  The mammoth task to bring a cacophony of colour to the town centre began last week and will see more than 300,000 home-grown blooms planted out in various locations.
  More than 30,000 plants alone are earmarked for Shrewsbury’s 365-days-a-year show garden in the Dingle, with the rest reserved for Shrewsbury’s many hanging baskets, tubs and planters.
  All of the blooms are grown from seed or plugs at the Town Council’s own greenhouse, which covers the size of a football pitch, at Weeping Cross Centre.
  Last year saw Shrewsbury’s reputation as a Town of Flowers firmly cemented when it was crowned Champion of Champions by the Royal Horticultural Society.
  Town Clerk Helen Ball said: “Shrewsbury has always been known for its tremendous floral displays but winning Britain in Bloom’s Champion of Champions means we can justifiably say that we are THE Town of Flowers.
  “Our staff take great pride in upholding this reputation, carrying out the spring and summer planting schemes is a mammoth task that requires a dedicated and passionate workforce. It’s a pride we hope extends to all of our residents, shops and businesses.
  “With that in mind we are asking local people to adopt a zero tolerance policy towards any defacement of the floral displays within the town centre. If you see something untoward please do your bit for Team Shrewsbury and report it to the Town Council or the local policing team who will be working closely with us to ensure any vandalism is dealt with appropriately.”
  Inspector Graham Preece, from Central Shropshire Safer Neighbourhood Team added: “Through the efforts of many hard working groups and individuals Shrewsbury Town Centre continues to develop as a place where people wish to work rest and play.
  “I share the frustrations of my Team Shrewsbury partners who often have to react to incidents of theft and damage to the displays and infrastructure of the town. Therefore I am keen to stress that anyone caught committing criminal offences, or acts of anti-social behaviour, will be held to account and potentially prosecuted should that be necessary.
  “The Town has comprehensive CCTV coverage which is often used to identify offenders, even those who may feel they’ve successfully escaped the scene.”