Hanging baskets put up in the sunshine

THE hanging baskets that will decorate Henley this summer went up on Monday when the sun was shining.

Residents and businesses have bought a total of 241 baskets from Henley in Bloom, which is supported by the Henley Standard’s Buy a Basket campaign.

The baskets, which are supplied by Windowflowers of Burnham, have a mix of contrasting purple, red, apricot and white flowers to provide variety throughout the season as well as attract pollinators.

These include petunia surfinia purple, pelargonium cascade red, apricot begonia, lobelia erinus laura white and verbena rigida venosa purple. Kellie Hinton, vice-chairwoman of Henley in Bloom, said: “I really love it when the baskets start going up because it marks the start of the summer social season, which is better here than anywhere else because there are so many things going on. At the moment they look rather small and underwhelming but with the sunny weather they will soon start to bloom and look wonderful.”

Windowflowers director Miles Watson-Smyth said he was delighted with the take up despite not being as good as last year’s record total of 273 baskets. He said: “We are thrilled that businesses and residents still feel it’s important to place an order during the current economic climate.”

Collette Trotter, 64, a business consultant, of Station Road, has bought one basket. She said: “We have had them for maybe two years and I think the whole town looks stunning with all the colours. They definitely last the duration.”

The list of buyers includes:

Five: Chiltern House BC, Station Road.

Four: Redmayne-Bentley, Market Place; Courtier Support Services, Hart Street, Jackie Harrison, Harpsden Way.

Three: Blandy & Blandy LLP and Villa Marina restaurant, Thames Side; Ian Desmond, Friday Street; Shirley Lees, Boathouse Reach, Francesca Young, Baltic Cottage, Sue Ryan, Orchard Cottage, Matt Mannall, Bell Street.

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 Hilary Trudeau, Market Place; Sue Vivian-Wright, Dominique Van Heerden, Greys Road; Wendy Spurling, Northfield End; the Chocolate Café, Thames Side, Lady Sew and Sew, Farm Road, Sarah Brady, Bell Street.

One: Coppa Club, The Head Partnership, Suzi Taylor, Irene Fox, Savills and Peter Whitaker, Bell Street; Sophie Pierce, Madeline Probert, Richard Wyatt and Kate Carter, Dawn Alston, Claudia Klaver, St Mark’s Road; Royal House Dental Care, Collette Trotter and McQueen Turner Solicitors, James Kitovitz, Mella Waterhouse, 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 and Eve Crawshaw, King’s Road; Anne Rayner, Hop Gardens; Sara Batting, Boathouse Reach; Calvert Jones, Hart Street, Jennifer Williamson, Duke Street, Mr and Mrs Freeman, Vicarage Road, Brenda Smith, Victoria Court, Richard Ogden, Grange Road.