New plants in place at Weston floral clock after it was concreted over

In February, volunteers from the Weston Lions Club who had been maintaining the historic flower bed concreted over it with plans to paint a mural because they could not get enough volunteers to keep up with the watering.

But the move prompted outrage and North Somerset Council stepped in to remove the concrete and promised to restore the flower beds.

Now, two thousand plants have been planted in the floral clock. This time, plants have been specifically chosen to require less watering.

The new design includes two circles which will be filled with a different design using annual flowers each year.

Before and after: the floral clock. (Image: John Wimperis/Newsquest)

This year’s flowers will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the RNLI, who were last year granted the freedom of the town. They will be planted later in the season.

Cllr Mike Solomon, North Somerset Council’s executive member for culture and leisure, said: “The floral clock is looking fantastic, and I’m sure the local community will be thrilled to see the space bursting with plants once more.

“We’ve chosen colourful ornamental shrubs and bee-friendly species. The plants are low-maintenance, so they won’t need as much watering as other plants – helping us protect the environment and keep costs down.

“I’d like to thank our grounds maintenance contractors, Glendale, for doing an excellent job in bringing the planting design to life.

“We’ve had to be creative in funding this project, as we – like councils across the country – are feeling the squeeze. Thank you to all the local businesses who have dug into their pockets and offered to sponsor the clock.

“Volunteers are also a crucial part of the clock’s history, and they’re key to its future as well. We’re running our first session for volunteers on Wednesday 15 May, and we’d love as many people as possible to join. If you’re interested in coming along, then contact our parks ranger at parksranger@n-somerset.gov.uk.”