Free tulip bulbs for community groups

Bedford Borough Council is once again giving away free tulip bulbs from the last Embankment Spring planting display.

With the seasonal change of the Embankment planting into the Summer display, the Council would usually have given the used tulip bulbs away to community groups earlier in the year. However, due to coronavirus, this had to be delayed so the bulbs were put into storage and are now ready for re-planting.

Community groups in Bedford Borough who are interested in having some bulbs are invited to get in touch via email at bugsandbees@bedford.gov.uk by noon on Thursday 17 September to register their interest. Bulbs will be given away on a first come, first serve basis.

Last year the Council gave away thousands of tulip bulbs to groups including the Abbey Fields Roundabout Group, schools including Castle Newnham and Scott Primary, charities such as Bedford Open Door and Bedford Guild House, as well as local brownie groups and residents associations.

Councillor Charles Royden, Portfolio Holder for Environment said "The Council cannot reuse the tulip bulbs as this would require the flowers to be left in the ground for several weeks after flowering, which clearly wouldn't be in keeping with Bedford's Victorian Embankment. So to stop them being wasted, we give them away to local groups to so they can be replanted, providing much welcome Spring colour throughout the borough. This tulip bulb giveaway was really popular last year with lots of different groups getting in touch, and I'm delighted that we are able to do this again this year. If your community group, school, brownie or scout group, or charity would like some free tulip bulbs please get in touch with us before Thursday 17 September."