The council is calling for volunteers to help plant 60,000 crocuses on the West Park Stray in the coming months.
Following last year’s UCI World Cycling Championship, West Park Stray underwent months of landscaping work to repair the land.
Harrogate Borough Council is now asking for help to dig 60,000 holes so the crocus display next spring will be as impressive as ever.
The council has said the recent works and heavy rainfall make this the right time to plant the bulbs. Approximately, 8,000,000 bulbs have been planted across the whole Stray over the years, blooming in late spring.
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Local voluntary groups and organisations have been approached to help with the effort. The council has said the planting will be done in line with covid restrictions.
In an email to local voluntary organisations, a council horticultural officer Sue Wood said:
“We are working on a project to refurbish the West Park Stray with crocus following the remedial work to the Stray following the UCI Cycle races last year. The idea would be for the volunteers to dig the holes and then other groups will do the planting of the bulbs.
“There are approximately five areas to plant, some smaller areas and some very large areas on West Park Stray and we are hoping that it will be a real community project.”
After months of mud, the Stray is once again green and open for the public to enjoy
The Stray was protected by orange netting during the repair until recently when it was opened to the public.
The landscaping work is thought to have cost the council around £130,000 and was completed by Glendale Services. The outsourcing of a Lancashire company was met with criticism from local firms.
