A SPLASH of floral colour has livened up a city centre and celebrated the skill of upcycling.
Perrywood Garden Centre, based in Tiptree, donated plants and peat-free compost for floral displays to decorate shop fronts for the Colchester Garden Festival.
The event has been organised by Our Colchester Business Improvement District (BID) and will run until Monday, August 22.
The event celebrates the environment, green spaces and gardening in the area.
Installations have been put up around Colchester and free and paid events are being held.
There are workshops being hosted, podcast recordings and more happening in the centre of Colchester.
Businesses were invited to decorate their shop fronts with plants and upcycled materials to brighten up the city.
Perrywood communications and HR director Hannah Powell visited the businesses that took part to choose a winner and runner ups.
Victoria Yum Bakery came first in the competition for its sugar and icing sugar bags made into flower planters.
It was voted as the winner for the link to the business and the creative use of icing sugar dusted on the flower petals.
The Emmaus charity shop was runner up with its window display using upcycled materials as planters including washing machine drums and a backpack.
Manager of the Our Colchester Business Improvement District (BID) Sam Good said: “It has been a pleasure to work with Perrywood Garden Centre on multiple projects across the Colchester Garden Festival.
READ MORE>>> Big-hearted staff donate tips for vital Colchester Hospital equipment
“The businesses who have taken part in the upcycling competition have created wonderful displays celebrating the garden festival and these displays wouldn’t have been possible without the generosity of Perrywood.
“Families from the 13 schools involved in the school gardens have also been fortunate to have Perrywood Garden Centre supporting their gardens from the donation of vouchers at the beginning of their project and plants to help keep the gardens looking their best.
“There are lots of great free family activities happening across Colchester city centre for the Colchester Garden Festival to help keep the kids entertained in the school holidays.”
Votes can be made for your favourite display by visiting https://incolchester.co.uk/awards/business-display. Voting finishes on Monday 22nd August.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here