Jarek Ratajczak: The first floor at the Małgosia building in Wroclaw's Main Market Square. The table is strewn with photographs of balconies, windows, yards and house gardens. Next to the photographs is a stack of registration forms to join the Wroclaw in Bloom (Ukwiecamy Wroclaw) competition. The committee is spoiled for choice.
Henryka Florkowska: We have to go through all these. We're driving around to have a look at yards and balconies on the spot. Six people in the committee have their hands full with work, but the work is really rewarding.
JR: You've been running this competition for sixty years now. Your first winners would tend to the flowers in the ruins of postwar Wroclaw.
Stefan Świgoń: Yes, that's actually correct. We're running the oldest competition in Wroclaw. We started in 1955, in the first year of the Wroclaw Enthusiasts Association's activity. There were only few competitions at the time. Ours enjoyed great popularity and prestige. Whole neighbourhoods would take part. Competitions such as this were particularly popular and encouraged communist Poland, they were held in many towns and cities and attracted a lot of registrations. We have around one hundred registrations each year. It's not our record-breaking season this year, largely because of heatwave and drought.
JR: This year's anniversary 60. edition attracted around 70 registrations. It could be better considering that there are 630 thousand residents in Wroclaw.
Henryka Florkowska: Wroclaw has a lot of beautiful balconies, terraces or windows, but they are hardly ever registered for our competition. Local estate councils sometimes send a registration, while private developers or housing cooperatives do it only rarely. That's a shame because they have a lot to offer. The majority of the registrations are made by council housing residents.
JR: Your focus is on those who bring decrepit backyards back to life.
Henryka Florkowska:This year we have a registration from ul Piastowska and Rydygiera. Dilapidating houses often have beautiful and flowery windows or humble but beautiful little gardens. People tend to these gardens even though they are not their property. They buy seeds and seedlings. They pay for watering the plants, for fertilisers and plant protection chemicals.
JR: I guess most of the participants are retired and have a lot of time.
Henryka Florkowska: Not necessarily. There are a lot of 40- and 50-year-olds, but there are also younger people who also love flowers.
JR: But why flowers?
Stefan Świgoń: Yes, that's actually correct. They miss greenery in the city. They want to sit on a bench in their yard and enjoy colourful flowers. Flowery balconies and backyard gardens are some commitment. One of the winners last year told us that he gave up his summer holidays because he had to water the plants.
JR: Some of the compositions are just beautiful. People stop and clap their hands when they see them.
Stefan Świgoń: This is what happened to our last year's winner, the owner of the unique floral composition at his balcony in ul Purkyniego. People take photos of his balcony almost every day in the summer. German tourists stop and clap their hand on their way from the Market Square to the Racławice Panorama.
Radosna Street in Wroclaw
JR: As a jury you look at flowers, colours, ideas and final look.
Stefan Świgoń: We have three categories. Greens in between the apartment blocks, squares and yards is one category, balconies, terraces and windows is the other, and the final one is home gardens. Unfortunately we receive almost no registrations in the latter. We are wondering why. Maybe we advertise ourselves too little.
JR: Let's delve into more details. I can't take part this year, but what can I do to join the competition next year?
Henryka Florkowska: We accept registrations from May to July. You just need to fill in a form and enclose your photograph. That's all. When we sometimes see a window or a balcony covered in flowers, we knock on the door and encourage to join the competition.
JR: Your association is housed at the Małgosia building. The windows are all in flowers. You're setting a good example.
Stefan Świgoń: The credit for the flowers here at the Małgosia goes to Genia Fajfer from our association. I'm taking care of the plants at home. We're having the elevation renovated this year, but you have my promise, there will be flowers everywhere next year.
Henryka Florkowska: A small garden was set up ne the neighbours next to where I live..
The winners of this year's Wroclaw in Bloom (Ukwiecamy Wroclaw) competition will be announced on 16 September at 2 pm. The event will be held at the Botanical Garden.
All participants in the competition are invited.
