Despite flowers on a dry diet, Gentelles in the Somme wants its towns and villages in bloom label

How to obtain the Hauts-de-France Cities and Villages in Bloom label, when its own massifs are dying of thirst? It is the challenge of Gentelles, a town of 2,000 inhabitants southeast of Amiens, which is applying this year to obtain a first “flower”, a guarantee of a quality living environment for the inhabitants. The label jury is currently touring several towns in the Somme, and it takes into account the exceptional drought in its criteria.

Exceptional conditions taken into account

The jury’s visit begins with a presentation of the application file at the town hall. At the helm, the mayor of Gentelles Xavier Commecy and his second deputy in charge of the living environment, Bruno Cayeux, who have been listing their actions for five years. The jury does not fail to ask the questions that annoy: “a current issue: how do you treat irrigation water?” “We buried a 14,000 liter tank, which collects water from the roof of the church. but so far we haven’t had much water!‘ replies the deputy.

Everything is then examined on the ground, as soon as you enter the town, with flower beds carefully maintained so as not to waste water: “we put mulch to keep the humidity at the base of the plants, and we water once a week.“All around, the lawns are struggling to stay green,”some hydrangeas, in other towns we visited, are roasted” points out François Jeannel, member of the jury and environmentalist in the Somme. Drought is taken into account this year :”the aim is to examine the work of the municipalities in the long term and to feel a global policy” he explains.

Criteria broader than simple flowering have appeared this year in the jury’s grid, to take climate change into account: islands of freshness, de-artificialization efforts, for example. “There, the mayor explained to us that the lights are turned off at night. These are energy savings, first of all, and above all a real advantage for biodiversity. We really look at the living environment that is offered to the inhabitants.” describes François Jeannel.

So many visits that must be seen as aid to the municipalities: “we have a jury that comes from all walks of life, to offer an outside perspective and give real advice to local elected officials”, analyzes Coralie de Vit, member of the label. In 2021, 341 municipalities in Hauts-de-France have obtained the regional flower towns and villages label. Twenty, this year, seek a first flower as Gentelles. Municipalities will be notified at the end of October their success or not with the label.