NORTH Somerset Council has confirmed that a new planting scheme has been created for Weston's floral clock.

Plants are expected to arrive at the end of April. The floral clock, which was concreated over by Weston Lions Club, will feature ornamental shrubs and fee-friendly species.

Councillor Mike Solomon, North Somerset Council’s executive member for culture and leisure, said: “We’ve been working hard behind the scenes to plan the future of Weston-super-Mare’s floral clock, and I’m delighted to say that we’re expecting to get trowels in the ground very soon.

“We’ve created a new planting scheme that uses sustainable planting, featuring ornamental shrubs and bee-friendly species.

"As well as providing colour and looking beautiful, these plants don’t require as much watering and maintenance as flowers, helping us protect the environment and look after the space in a cost-effective way.

“So we can keep the design looking fresh, there will also be a small area in the clock that can be planted with annual flowers, which we can change each year.

“Volunteers have been a hugely important part of the clock’s history, and they’re vital to the clock’s future as well. We’ve created a dedicated area for volunteers in our design, where they can plant what they’d like – such as vegetables or herbs – and nurture these spaces.

“I’d also like to thank those who have offered to sponsor this project. We’ve seen how important this space is to our local community, and it’s incredible to see people getting involved.

“The plants we’ve ordered are set to arrive at the end of the month. We’re eager to get started, and our ground maintenance contractors Glendale are planning to finish planting the floral clock by mid-May. The floral clock will be looking glorious for the summer season.”

Speaking back when the work started in February, Cllr Solomon said: “We’ve been working with the Weston-super-Mare Lions Club to create a plan for the future of the clock, and I’m pleased to say that our contractor Glendale will be starting to remove concrete from the site from today (February 19). 

“By using our grounds maintenance contractor to carry out the work, we can get it done within our existing budget. And as we’re currently in a traditionally quieter period for grounds work, delivering this won’t have a significant knock-on effect on our other planned projects."