Norden’s blooming rockery perfectly captures 'Greening Grey Britain' promise

Photo: Doliz Miah Photography

Volunteers at the new rockery in Norden

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This year's Royal Horticultural Society’s inspiring ‘Greening Grey Britain’ project for Rochdale In Bloom has created lots of local interest with inspiring projects, all with the promise of transforming hard, grey areas into something vibrant and beautiful.

Norden’s rich and vivid rockery, dubbed ‘the jewel in the crown’, really brings home the Greening Grey promise, after being transformed from a bare patch of grass at a junction to the bountiful display now proudly standing there.

The striking rockery was created on a bland triangle of grass at the junction of Elmsfield Avenue and Edenfield Road, where the traffic island had stood unaltered for years. However, that all changed when local volunteer Paul Ellison came up with the idea of brightening up the area with a floral rockery.

The volunteers, led by Mr Ellison, himself a Rochdale In Bloom stalwart, really took on a huge challenge, but after securing his own sponsorship from Marshalls, with the help of Paul Rogers, things started to rapidly take shape. A sponsorship sign has since been installed, completing the feature.

Mr Rogers explained: "I was approached about the idea of the Norden In Bloom rockery by Paul back in April. It sounded like a great project from the offset and I was happy to take Paul around Scout Moor Quarry so we could pick out some rockery pieces. I then helped Paul in arranging the delivery of the soil, plants and the road sign.

“Marshalls are committed to good works such as this in the community and the enthusiasm shown by the people of Norden in making this dream a reality has been amazing. The finished article is something the whole community can be proud of and I'm just happy I've had a small part to play. Congratulations to all involved."

The colourful project also received the full backing of the local authority's Highways and Environmental departments.

The floral display was an obvious hit with locals, but the real surprise to the volunteers was the incredible interest shown on social media, after images of the rockery were shared hundreds of times.

Mr Ellison said: ''We hoped people would like our project, but we have been taken completely surprise by the response from the wider Rochdale public. It has made all our In Bloom work worthwhile, and many thanks to the volunteers, Emma Metcalfe, Christine Mchugh, Phil Starr, Jane Gartside,Jennifer Parkinson, Stuart Goodwill, and Chairman of Rochdale In Bloom, Nigel Morrell.”

He added: “Let keep Norden In Bloom.”

Rochdale In Bloom Chairman, Nigel Morrell commented: “This enterprise represents a superb enhancement to the 2017 ‘In Bloom’ effort. Lots of volunteers have helped to plant up the rockery and our special thanks have to go to Marshalls who have supported and sponsored the project.”

North West in Bloom is the voluntary regional organisation that administers the Britain in Bloom competition in Lancashire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside, one of the 18 regions comprising Britain in Bloom.

Since 1964, the Royal Horticultural Society’s Britain in Bloom is one of the most effective, and longest running environmental competitions in the UK, with communities demonstrating their ability to create and maintain attractive environments that benefit all.

From the mill towns of Lancashire to the picturesque villages of both Cheshire and the Lancashire coast, every city, town, urban community and village is eligible to enter. The aim of the competition is to encourage the improvement of our surroundings through the imaginative use of trees, shrubs, flowers and landscaping. It also aims to achieve a litter free and sustainable environment.

Judges will visit Rochdale on 1 August.