Floral displays will brighten Trowbridge town centre streets next year

Garden designer Katy Brown, of Kitty Brown Design, was commissioned to plant 900 plants and 750 bulbs to create new floral displays as part of the Future High Street Fund regeneration of Trowbridge town centre.

On Monday and Tuesday, Katy, who specialises in planting design, planted the bulbs and perennials in the Castle Street area, assisted by a team of volunteers.

Katy Brown with her planting plan design for the Castle Street floral displays that will brighten up the area next year. Photo: Trevor Porter 70286-2 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Katy, 44, from Trowbridge, said: “We are really pleased with the planting. We had perfect weather for it and were racing to get it finished before it rains.

“It’s my first big project in Trowbridge and I drew my inspiration from a cloth in the Trowbridge Museum archives, and have planted floral displays that will give colour throughout the year.

“We have planted a mixture of grasses, perennials and bulbs, using the pattern of the cloth to create the planting plan.

“People will see the first colour in the spring when the tulips emerge. It has created a nice seasonal mix of plants that will be drought-tolerant and low maintenance.”

Katy spent 20 years as a buyer before deciding to switch career to gardening and planting design.

She has worked part-time at The Nursery in Hilperton with Matthew Webb for the past two and a half years to learn about plants and recently completed a year-long diploma in garden design at the Cotswold Gardening School at Gossington Hall near Gloucester.

Trowbridge town councillor Mel Jacob, said: “I was thrilled that Trowbridge Town Council was able to contract a local garden designer to design and plant up these beds. I can’t wait to see the finished beds - It’s going to look fantastic.”

The development of the Castle Street area is all part of the Future High Street Fund project and grant-funded from central government to Wiltshire Council.

The regeneration projects include the £8.15 million redevelopment of Trowbridge Town Hall and improvements in Church Street, Castle Street, Manvers Street and Wicker Hill to improve access for pedestrians and cyclists across the town centre.

Katy was assisted in the planting by her friend Jennifer James, of Ostara Gardening; husband and wife team Ron and Celia Lomas, who help keep the Town Park gardens tidy; local florist and keen gardener Grace Farrimond, and Trowbridge Town Council’s new park ranger Charlie Stockley.