Hanging basket sales now over 200 mark

A TOTAL of 205 summer hanging baskets has now been sold to residents and businesses in Henley.

The baskets, which are supplied by WindowFlowers of Burnham, will be installed next month and watered and maintained until September.

Director Miles Watson-Smyth said they will include three contrasting colours to provide variety throughout the summer season and maximise the floral impact.

He said: “They will go up around the first week in May. We will be planting the same number as last year.”

Redmayne-Bentley, a brokerage firm in Market Place, has bought four summer baskets.

Head of the office Nick McGregor said: “We’re always happy to support this initiative as it’s nice to see the town looking lovely.”

Anne Rayner, of Hop Gardens, has bought one basket.

She said: “I have done it every year. Usually, they’re lovely and I’m hoping they will be again this year.

“My son is getting married this year and his bride wants pink, so if there’s a lot of pink in them that would be good.

“I do think they are taken away too soon as it does seem like there are two or three weeks left in them.”

Ian Desmond, 62, a furniture maker and designer, has bought three baskets for his property in Friday Street.

He said: “We think it brightens up the place and they are lovely to look at. I think Henley puts on quite a good display when it comes to the flowers and Henley in Bloom.”

Lemoy in Station Road has bought two baskets for the front of the office.

Director Richard Moyles, 72, said: “Last year was disappointing as the yellow and blue motif did not seem to work, despite us adding fertilizer.

“We will have to wait and see what they look like but I think it’s important to keep the town nice.”

Sue Vivian-Wright, 71, has bought two baskets for the front of her house in Greys Road.

She said: “We have bought them since the basket scheme started, so we have had them for many years, with varying success. Mostly, they are superb and are well looked after and grow beautifully.

“We get lots of people walking past our house and commenting on them

“We prefer to have them maintained because honestly, we can’t be bothered and I’m not very tall so I wouldn’t be able to reach anyway. It’s also particularly helpful if we go on holiday.”

The cost of a hanging baskets, including watering and maintenance by Windowflowers, is £78, including VAT. For just delivery and removal, and no watering or maintenance, the cost is £56.40, including VAT.

Orders should be placed by May 19 by visiting https://form.jotform.com/ henleytowncouncil/hanging-
baskets Orders can also be made directly with the Information Centre at the town hall or by calling (01491) 576982.

Payment needs to be made at the time of ordering your basket(s).

Basket buyers so far include:

Four: Redmayne-Bentley, Market Place; Courtier Support Services, Hart Street.

Three: Blandy & Blandy LLP and Villa Marina restaurant, Thames Side; Ian Desmond, Friday Street; Shirley Lees, Boathouse Reach.

Two: Manning UK, Tomalin & Son and Ann Hardman, Reading Road; Relais Hotel, Kate Gethin and Ballards, Hart Street; Lemoy and Perpetual House, Station Road; Hof’s and Hillary Trudeau, Market Place; Sue Vivian-Wright, Greys Road; Wendy Spurling, Northfield End; the Chocolate Café, Thames Side.

One: The Head Partnership, Suzi Taylor, Irene Fox, Savills and Peter Whitaker, Bell Street; Sophie Pierce, Madeline Probert, Richard Wyatt and Kate Carter, St Mark’s Road; Royal House Dental Care, Collette Trotter and McQueen Turner Solicitors, Station Road; Emma White, Next Call and Queen Street Mews Management, Queen Street; Jill Hughes, Helen Prescot and Sarah Barry, Greys Road; Angus McKibbin, Professor Nigel Fox and Michael Spedding, Friday Street; Dr Chris Howlett and John Glen Films, Ravenscroft Road; Bryan Wrighton and Michael Sharp, Gravel Hill; Alene Wilton and James Tate, Market Place; Safebuy, Reading Road; Mr Taylor, Radnor Close; Tanya Copas, Northfield End; Sue Budd, Niagara Road; Jill Mellis Haigh, New Street; Lauren Butcher, King’s Road; Anne Rayner, Hop Gardens; Sara Batting, Boathouse Reach; Calvert Jones, Hart Street.