Shakespeare and Horticulture – a Lovely Liaison! + Planting the Edible Sharing Bed.

On Shakespeare’s birthday Stony Stratford in Bloom (SSIB) volunteers joined forces with local thespians, the Stony Stratford Bard, and York House volunteers, to organise a grand, celebratory event that brought together horticulture and Shakespeare to honour the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death.

SSIB volunteers arranged a plant sale, setting out a splendid array of plants on tables outside the community centre to tempt those who were going in to enjoy the coffee and delicious cakes provided by the York House volunteers. Inside, there was a tombola, a seed swap, and other enticing stalls.

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Mid-morning the local drama group sang Shakespearean madrigals and gave an al fresco performance of scenes from Shakespearean plays with horticultural links. To much applause, Ophelia, declaimed her tragic speech, offering spectators (who had, moments before, been, choosing what plants to buy), rosemary, fennel, rue, columbine and daisies taken from our beds around the town, and then there was a scene from Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Following this dramatic interlude, the Chair of the Town Council launched the start of the town’s celebration of this anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, the Stony Stratford Bard declaimed two verses paying tribute to Shakespeare and horticulture (see previous news item) – the second verse being declaimed as a group of children helped to plant up the Community Vegetable Plot with seeds and plants (some of which are mentioned in Shakespeare’s verses!) A little later the youth drama group, Act Out, performed with great verve more scenes from A Midsummer Night’s Dream on the stage at the back of the Community Gardens

Everyone had a great time, and Stony Stratford in Bloom made £640 from the plants and tombola which can be spent on making the town even more beautiful!