Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre in Monkton Heathfield has recently donated £150 vouchers to the village railway station to help pay for its flower displays.

Clive Goddard, Head Gardener at Bishops Lydeard Railway Station, which is part of West Somerset Railway, said: “The donation from Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre is greatly appreciated and a massive boost for our efforts.

“We are entering our floral displays in Taunton in Bloom again this year and hope to repeat our previous successes. Last year (2009), we were awarded first place for Best Public Access Site, as well as the Best Volunteer Organisation Display and the Summerfield Cup for best floral displays at Taunton Station.

“We have also been crowned as winners for three consecutive years in the Railway’s own competition for Best Floral Display, and will have to fight especially hard in this year’s competition as all the other stations are making efforts to beat us. We have a big reputation to live up to.”

Clive is pleased to be working in partnership with Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre and has a history with the garden centre because his father Lionel worked at Monkton Elm when it was a market garden in the late 1920s and early 1930s.

The 76-year-old continued: “Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre’s donation will help us to retain our title for 2010.

"We have used the garden centre’s vouchers to buy compost for troughs, flower beds and pots, and lots of plants including petunias, begonias, geraniums, bizzie lizzies and verbena.

“This year we have used a bigger variety of flowers than ever before to create an extraordinary entry. I have planted more than 1,500 plants already. I have also included some trailing flowers and floral wall pouches, which both mimic a cascading waterfall effect.”

West Somerset Railway is regarded as one of Britain’s best and longest heritage railways with steam trains travelling between Bishops Lydeard and Minehead.

Andrew Pitman, Plant Manager at Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre, said: “We are delighted to lend a hand to Bishops Lydeard Railway Station. It always creates stunning floral displays at the station.

“Clive works very hard to make the railway station a welcoming place for passengers using the West Somerset Railway and we wish him the best of luck in the competitions.”

For more information, please call Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre, which is located just off the A38 at Monkton Heathfield between Taunton and Bridgwater, on 01823 412381.

Photograph caption: Clive Goddard, Head Gardener at Bishops Lydeard Railway Station, receives Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre vouchers from Sue Bown, Seasonal Bedding Sales Assistant at the garden centre.