Record number of hanging baskets put up

THE hanging baskets that will decorate Henley this summer have been put up. 

Residents and businesses have brought a record 273 baskets this year, beating last year’s record of 252. 

The baskets, which are installed and maintained by supplier Windowflowers, of Burnham, were put up on Tuesday by workers Ionut Emil and Dailos Dorta. 

They are part of the annual Buy a Basket campaign, which is run by Henley in Bloom and supported by the Henley Standard.

This year, the flowers are in the royal colours of purple and gold to commemorate the coronation of King Charles III. They comprise surfinia blue, verbena purple, Biden’s sun drop, lysimachia goldilocks and calibrachoa sunrise. Councillor David Eggleton, former chairman of Henley in Bloom, said: “They have only just been put up but when they are established, they will look fantastic, as they always do. Keep up the good work, Windowflowers, of making our town look beautiful.”

Kellie Hinton, vice-chairwoman of Henley in Bloom, said: “The baskets always look great and in the coming weeks and months they will bloom into bright colours. The town is beginning to look clean and fresh and it is really great that everyone backs the campaign.”

Miles Watson-Smyth, director of Windowflowers, said: “The vast majority of the baskets were installed on Tuesday with about 100 left that will be installed by the end of the week.

“It was a long day, arriving in Henley at 6am to change the baskets on the main roads first to minimise any potential for traffic disruption.

“We try to install baskets in residential areas after 8am so we don’t disturb any late sleepers.

“As always, the public were so appreciative and so kind to our team. Several people came over to say how beautiful our baskets are and how much they look forward to seeing them develop and grow over the next few weeks.

“We will be back to water them in later with our purpose-built bowser.”

Artistry, a gallery in Reading Road, bought one basket.

Owner Sarah Pye said: “I only bought one to go over the door as there is building work taking place in the alleyway next to us and I didn’t want it to get in the way. 

“As a trader, you always want the town to look its best. We are also a little way out of the centre so I hope that people will see the baskets and think, ‘Oh, there’s more down there’.  This is my home town and it is always lovely in the summer and the shops with baskets enhance that for visitors and locals alike.”

Haberdashery shop Lady Sew and Sew in Reading Road bought two baskets.

Owner Judy Edwards said: “We have been buying them for a long time. They make the atmosphere happier and it’s nice to be greeted with them. 

“Customers come from all over the country and it makes the warehouse pretty. We sell lots of floral fabric and people crochet and knit flowers with material from our shops, so it is also in keeping with our craft and patchwork image.”

A spokeswoman for the town council said: “Hanging baskets are going out around the town with glorious yellow and purple flowers in honour of the coronation year.

A record number of baskets have been sold and any profits go to Henley in Bloom.

“It is always lovely to see fresh flowers blooming and the splash of colour that they bring.

“Thank you to all the residents and businesses that have supported the scheme this year.”

The summer baskets are no longer available to buy. To buy a winter basket, which will be installed in October, email bookings@
henleytowncouncil.gov.uk