Bloom hunters await their awards

CIB is a Canadian beautification program that provides information, and education, and awards bloom ratings for achievement in floral displays, landscapes, turf, urban forestry, community involvement, heritage conservation, environmental awareness and tidiness.

The provincial awards and coveted ‘bloom’ counts will be announced at the World Trade and Convention Centre in Halifax on Dec. 5.

The national awards were presented on Sept. 23 in Brandon, Manitoba. The little Town of Annapolis Royal won first place in the 1 to 1,000 category.

Earlier this year it also received the Prince of Wales Prize from the Heritage Canada Foundation.

This year the Nova Scotia contingent is the largest ever, with the villages of Enfield, Baddeck, Tatamagouche, Pugwash and towns of Oxford, Middleton, Truro, Stellarton, Antigonish, New Glasgow and Yarmouth competing.

Yarmouth, which is competing for the first time, has taken the competition seriously. In July it courted the judges, arranged for block cleanups and even held a daylily tea.

The town is continuing to encourage community beautification by arranging for public information sessions presented by Town of Yarmouth parks and landfill supervisor, Loren Cushing, who is also advisor to the CIB program committee.

The first information session was held in October on dividing perennials. The second, on tree and shrub pruning, was held on Nov. 8.

Cushing says now is a good time to examine trees and shrubs that may need pruning. Insect nests and cocoons are not hidden by leaves and the bare bones of woody plants are much easier to inspect.

Cushing advises looking for branches that will be rubbing due to winter winds and to prune these to correct the tendency.

More information sessions will likely be lined up for the spring says Cushing.

“I don’t mind doing it. It’s kind of interesting and surprising to see some of the questions that come forth,� he said.

“I’d like to do a follow-up of landscaping your property, and another one in the springtime on tree planting and fertilizing, when your trees are most susceptible to fertilizer,� he said.

Cushing believes Yarmouth did very well in the Communities in Bloom competition.

“The judges were very satisfied with the tour that they had and I think the town looked fantastic,� he said.

This week’s Community in Bloom tips are: People litter when they believe someone else will pick up after them. This is particularly true when individuals are not aware of the fact that the cost for litter control of our streets and ditches is eventually passed on to them in one way or another. Please help to cut the cost of litter maintenance and improve the appearance of our community by not littering.