On the morning of Monday 19 November two groups were converging on the green semi-circle of grass that lies across the High Street from Ashbrook School.
One comprised some 28 Ashbrook pupils, for the most part clad in red waterproof suits and wellies, together with their teachers and classroom assistants. Two by two they crossed the road and waited for the Landscape Men from Milton Keynes Council – Tony Higgins and his colleague – who were approaching with spades and a sackful of daffodil bulbs.
They were joined by Liz Ruthven and Pavla Gossop from TMAEG. The children waited while the men cut shallow trenches in the grass and showed how the bulbs should be placed, with the pointy end up and a hand’s width between, to ensure they had enough space to grow
The children worked in small groups around the trenches, each supplied with a container of bulbs. Tony Higgins said afterwards that he’d never seen bulbs planted so quickly before!
The final stage was to carefully replace the cut turves and to stamp them into place. This the children did with alacrity!
‘February Gold’ is the name of the 500 bulbs planted, so children and residents will have something very cheerful to look forward to as winter comes to an end.
A big thank you from TMAEG to Mrs Lin Healey of Ashbrook School, who organised the event for the school, to Tony Higgins and colleague from MK Council, to Parish Councillor Ann Gaunt who liaised with all parties and most of all to the Ashbrook children for helping to make Two Mile Ash a beautiful place to be proud of.