Sunflowers to show support for Ukraine

Scouts from the 1st Ottery St Mary Scout Group have been busy potting up sunflower seeds donated by Otter Garden Centres to grow flowers that will help show support for Ukraine.

The sunflowers will be mixed with blue geraniums in planters around the war memorial to create the colours of the Ukraine flag. Sunflowers have been grown in Ukraine since the 1700s before becoming the country’s national flower. More recently it has come to signify Ukraine’s desire for peace.

Otter Garden Centres provided two types of sunflower seeds for the Scouts to pot up; both are shorter varieties suitable for container growing; Dwarf Yellow Spray and Music Box which includes a mix of cream, yellow and mahogany bi-colour flowers.

Overseen by Section Leader James Meilton, the seeds were planted by the Scout troop into recycled pots reclaimed from Otter Garden Centres’ pot recycling point. Once they have germinated and are big enough they will be transplanted into the wooden planters together with the geraniums.

It’s all part of an initiative from Ottery Town Council which successfully secured government funding as part of the ‘Greening your Town’ project. This aims to encourage community groups such as the Scouts to get involved in planting in the containers.

The planters were made by Nick Sneller whilst ‘The Plant Man’ Rupert Bannister, has been involved in coordinating the groups and plants. Building on the previous annual Ottery in Bloom event, the planters will be planted with a mixture of plants, from bedding and shrubs to trees and edible plants.

Other community groups are welcome to get involved by contacting Ottery Town Council. This initiative is supported by the core council team - John Green, Richard Grainger, Dean Stewart, Vicki Johns, Sarah Martin and Stewart Lucas.