Thursday, March 28, 2024

Victoria’s unofficial start of summer begins today with 1300 hanging baskets

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They’re back! The annual roll out of Victoria’s trademark hanging baskets begins today, marking the unofficial start to summer in our city.

Starting today, City of Victoria crews will begin installing about 1,300 hanging baskets on downtown lamp posts featuring flowers that were grown at the Beacon Hill Park nursery.

Introduced in 1937, Victoria’s hanging flower baskets are now recognized around the world. Nine different varieties of plants are used to make a Victoria sun basket, with a total of 25 plants included in each.

Once the baskets are assembled they remain inside the Beacon Hill Park greenhouses for one week, before being moved outside to become acclimatized. When fully grown, the hanging baskets can weigh over 20 kilograms (approximately 45 pounds).

Each year Parks staff create both sun and shade baskets to ensure the baskets thrive in their chosen location. Begonias ‘Summerwings’, successful last year, will once again be featured in Bastion Square.

Look for them to be accompanied by trailing golden leaves of the Lysimachia ‘Goldilocks’. Impatiens ‘South Beach Mix’ will be trialled in shade baskets this year and tested for mildew resistance.

Today’s sun basket includes Sapphire and Fountain Blue Lobelia; Ballerina White Gaura, Carpet Rose and White Petunias, Calliope Scarlet Fire Geraniums; Orange and Lemon Gem Tagetes; and Silver Falls Dichondra.

The baskets remain on lamp posts until late September. After removal, the hardware is dismantled for reuse and the plant material is composted in the Beacon Hill Park Maintenance Yard.

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Victoria Buzz Staffhttps://www.victoriabuzz.com
Your inside source for Greater Victoria happenings. Established in 2012.

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