Banbury in Bloom

banbury in bloom logo

Our main school event is Planting Day in the Park - where all the schools come together in People's Park and plant the Rose Garden.

For several years this event has proved to be a fantastic opportunity for primary school pupils to develop teamwork skills, creativity, and a passion for nature. Every year a relevant theme or topic is picked and schools across Banbury are given the task of designing constructing centrepieces for placement in the centre of their designated flowerbed. Pupils then converge on the Rose Garden in People's Park for a day of planting and fun.

At the end of the event, awards for Best Planted Bed and Best Centrepiece are handed out, and the flower arrangements are opened to the public for town residents to enjoy.

Below you can view the latest editions of Planting in the Park, as well as galleries from previous years. Anyone looking for more information on this event can email info@banbury.gov.uk.

Planting Day in the Park - 2024 - 'Olympics'

In celebration of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, schools from across Banbury came together to create a series of themed flowerbeds, which take pride of place in the Rose Garden in People's Park. Students at each of the 11 schools designed and constrcuted dazzling centrepieces designed to stand out among the colourful flower arrangements. Each of these fantastic centrepieces is a reflection of the hard work and exceptional creativity of Banbury's primary school students, and the themes exhibited encourage sportsmanship, inclusivity, and respect for nature.

Pupils armed with trowels, spades, and flowerpots took to the flowerbeds on the morning of the 12th of June, 2024, and by the end of the day the Rose Garden had been completely transformed into a colourful garden full of eye-catching flowers and stellar centrepiece designs. After a couple of hours of gardening and music provided by Puritan Radio, the awards were given to the best floral beds and centrepieces. St Mary's CE School took home the award for Best Planted Bed, while Hardwick School had the honour of claiming Best Centrepiece.

However, it was the work of each and every individual in attendance that made the day so worthwhile, and Banbury Town Council would once again like to thank all the schools - students and staff - for all their hard work. We would also like to extend our gratitude to the efforts of the Council Officers and Rangers who were on hand to set up and help out, as well as Puritan Radio for providing the day with a fun and memorable sound!

See the full awards and a photo gallery of the day below.