The new contract will see more baskets in a larger area of the town, and it is hoped there will be winter displays in the future.

Dennett’s Garden Centre, at Wood Farm Nurseries in London Road, has been awarded the contract by Daventry Town Council to fill 275 baskets to decorate the town centre.

The company, owned by John Dennett, has a long history in Daventry, having run the former garden centre in Ashby Road.

Fiona Dennett, garden centre manager , said: “It’s going to be lovely and really nice to look at.

“We’re going to plant the baskets up to be really bright and colourful using plants we will grow ourselves.

“It’s going to require thousands of plants, but that’s work we do anyway for our customers.

“We’re very pleased as a family. We’re excited and ready to get spring going.”

Previously the supply of the baskets, the planting of them, watering and maintenance was allocated in a single contract to a company outside the town.

Now the town council has bought its own baskets with one contract going out to fill them, and another to hang, water and maintain them.

Town councillor Sam Webb said: “Last year the baskets looked terrible for about two weeks prior to their removal. It was totally unsatisfactory.

“We are committed to utilising Daventry’s businesses where we can and are so pleased that Dennett’s will be supplying the floral arrangements for our baskets this year.

“They will be planting them up with a variety of surfinias, geraniums, fuscias and helichrysum.

“Dennett’s has been extremely helpful, we are very grateful that it has been able to make provision for the town’s displays.

“I would also like to thank councillor Mike Fletcher for all his hard work to get this project co-ordinated.”

The new contract system is on a trial basis for the summer, with a fully competitive contract process for 2009 and beyond taking place in the autumn.

The council is yet to decide which company will take on the contract to hang, water and maintain the hanging baskets.