‘Brandon in Bloom’ Program a True Community Showing


May 31, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Brandon, MB – Greenspaces and neighbourhoods across Brandon will soon be bursting with colour, as another season of Brandon in Bloom programming kicks into high gear next month. The Brandon in Bloom program focuses on improving the quality of life and civic pride within the community through sustainable best practices in community involvement, environmental awareness, beautification, heritage preservation, education and networking.

City of Brandon Community Services staff are already busy placing colourful flower baskets on medians, boulevards and hanging baskets along downtown streets, and on June 4th, 5th and 6th, they’ll be joined by dozens of volunteers as they plant the various Adopt-A-Flowerbed gardens located in public parks, greenspaces and recreation facilities. After planting is complete, volunteers are encouraged to maintain the gardens on a regular basis throughout the growing season. Volunteers willing to help weed or maintain garden beds are always welcome and are encouraged to contact Brandon in Bloom Program Assistant Emma Cooper at 204-570-2932 or e.cooper@brandon.ca.

For those in the community who wouldn’t necessarily call themselves green-thumbed, but still want to lend a helping hand to the City of Brandon’s beautification efforts, another summer of Tidy of Tuesdays is back! Workplaces, organizations, and individuals alike are encouraged to take 10 minutes out of their day to spruce up the City through simple tasks like sweeping the sidewalk, picking up litter, pulling weeds, or tidying up the alleyways and parking lots in their neighbourhood and then post their handiwork on Instagram. Those tagging the City of Brandon (@citybrandon) and using #TidyupTuesdays will be entered into a weekly draw for a complimentary coffee break delivered directly to them by Community Development Section staff! More information on this year’s Tidy Up Tuesdays campaign can be found here.

Once the growing season is underway, City staff will be looking for individual gardens to be featured during its Open Garden Tours, scheduled this year for Saturday, July 27th and Sunday, July 28th. Always a popular weekend event, the self-guided Open Garden Tours place a spotlight on local gardeners in Brandon and also allows the community to view beautiful yards and gardens they wouldn’t otherwise see. Community nominations for garden locations will be accepted until Friday, June 14th, with more information on selected tour locations to be made available in July. Plans are also underway for a guided bus tour of heritage and garden sites to be held in conjunction with the “Door Open Brandon” weekend on Friday, July 19th – stay tuned for more details!

Finally, the City of Brandon’s Community Development Section is pleased to, once again, offer the Miracle Gro Best Garden Selection Home and Business Best Grounds Competition to gardening enthusiasts of all skill and experience levels. Individuals are encouraged to nominate themselves, a neighbour, a local business or any Brandon resident who they feel is best putting their community pride on display! Nominations are being accepted now until Friday, July 26th.

More information about all of the above Brandon in Bloom programs can be found by visiting www.brandoninbloom.ca.