Women business owners in the Boscombe community group Friends of Roumelia Lane joined forces to win a grant to brighten up the exterior of their workplaces with plants.
Headed by Helene Bowman-Brown of Gazelle Design & Marketing and Rishi Ludgate of Gallery La Boheme, the six ladies were awarded £1,000 by the local Green Goals Community Fund.
They approached Golden Acres garden centre at West Parley for advice on the best plants to buy because the section of lane is north-facing, and the most suitable plant food and compost.
Rishi said: “We wanted some black bamboo to add height and really stand out against the cream background wall. Staff at Golden Acres helped us a lot and the plants look fabulous. We had a lot of fun putting the project together.”
The plants occupy two groups of planters and 12 hanging baskets in a 100-metre stretch.
Helene said: “There is an extraordinary community spirit in the lane and it’s a pleasure to work here; there’s a lot of support for each other.”
The plants have caused such a stir in the lane that the local councillor convinced the ladies to enter Bournemouth in Bloom as a last-minute entry.
Other business owners involved in producing the displays were Nancy Beardall from 19th Century Tailoring, Bunty and Howard Gray of Bunty’s Beads and Rosanna Bavoso of Rosie’s Cafe.
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Picture by Phil Dowding: Left to right: Howard and Bunty Gray, Nancy Beardall (back), Rishi Ludgate and Helene Bowman-Brown
