St Ives in Bloom floral displays at The Courtyard market

The initiative was undertaken as a part of this year's St Ives in Bloom event.

Laura Davis, a trader at the market said: “We very much rely on the support of local people so we think it’s important to also support the town when we can."

Located behind the Hyperion Auction House, The Courtyard is an open-air marketplace comprised of around 30 independent businesses.

These include anything from handmade jewellery, antiques, vintage items, and clothes, to handmade candles, eco refills, toys, pet supplies and craft stalls.

The Courtyard was established following the first lockdown in 2020 (Image: Submitted)The Courtyard was established following the first lockdown in 2020 as a safe trading environment for small businesses.

The hope now, according to one trader, is that their floral contribution to St Ives in Bloom will "draw people in from the town so they can discover all we have to offer".

Visitors can also enjoy affordable, freshly brewed coffee from Kate's coffee pod while relaxing in the open-air seating area amidst the beautiful flowers.

Several nearby businesses including B&Q Huntingdon, Hyperion Auction House, Andy Foster, Morrisons, and West End DIY have generously donated flowers and plant pots for this initiative.

"We couldn’t have done this without their support" said a trader.

The Courtyard is open 7 days a week, Mon – Sat 9-5pm, Sun 10-4pm (Image: Submitted)

Following the St Ives in Bloom judging on July 8 and the Britain in Bloom evaluation at the end of July, the donated plants will be sold for charity, specifically the 'Hearing Dogs for Deaf People'.

The Courtyard encourages local people to visit and enjoy their efforts, one trader said: "We hope as many local people will come and visit us while The Courtyard is looking so pretty, and we look forward to welcoming all our visitors."

The Courtyard, which is open 7 days a week, can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @thecourtyardstives.

(Image: Submitted)