Spruce up your neighbourhood with Redbridge’s Big Bulb Giveaway and Big Planting Weekend

Wondering how to spruce up your corner of the borough? Get involved with Redbridge’s Big Bulb Giveaway and green up your neighbourhood.

Back by popular demand, Redbridge Council is giving away 50,000 spring flowering bulbs to get the borough blooming.

Since its launch three years ago the much-loved initiative, run under the borough’s Our Streets Strategy, has continued to flourish, with the council giving away an extra 10,000 bulbs this year.

Community groups, residents, gardening clubs and schools can request the spring flowering bulbs by completing an online application form by Monday 20 September.

The free plants up for grabs are:

• Daffodils
• Dwarf size daffodils
• Tulips
• Crocuses
• Snowdrops
• English Bluebells

 Whether you’re after some Snowdrops for Seven Kings or Crocuses for Clayhall, be quick as they are only available in limited amounts and will be given on a first come first serve basis. The application goes live today (Friday 20 August).

The giveaway will be followed up by its partner event The Big Planting Weekend, taking place between 15 -17 October.

The borough-wide planting movement encourages local people to plant their free bulbs in spaces that benefit, and can be enjoyed by the local community, such as public shrub beds and raised planters within the grounds of schools, community and faith centres.

The Big Bulb Giveaway is funded by the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). Find out more about CIL here 

Deputy Leader of the Council Cllr Kam Rai said: “Redbridge’s Big Bulb Giveaway is a real community success story, which has gone from strength to strength each year - even in the face of the pandemic.

“There is a real drive among our communities to get involved and make their neighbourhoods more attractive and also improve biodiversity, which is why we’ve increased the number of bulbs being given away this year to 50,000.

“I wanted to make sure the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funds were used on something which benefitted the whole of Redbridge and brought a little colour into all of our lives.”

“This fantastic council-funded project gives local people the opportunity to help make Redbridge a greener, and more beautiful place to live, work and visit.

“We’ll all be looking forward to a bright and bold show of flowers, so get those applications in, and get ready for our Big Planting Weekend in October.”

To apply for the bulbs and for more information visit: https://www.redbridge.gov.uk/our-streets/spruce-up-your-neighbourhood/

The Big Bulb Giveaway, and Big Planting Weekend are among a number of projects being led by Redbridge’s Our Streets Strategy with a focus on social action and working with local communities to keep Redbridge’s street scene green, clean, safe and attractive.  For more information about the borough’s work under ‘Our Streets’ visit: www.redbridge.gov.uk/our-streets/