Residents of York, famed for its cycling culture and yellow blaze of daffodils on the city walls, are being invited to get growing and help welcome the Tour de France on 6 July by Planting the City Yellow.

Anyone who wants to get gardening and brighten the city can dig in as part of the city’s arts and cultural festival called York: Be part of it.

Thanks to local sponsor Aldby Field Nurseries, 1,500 packs of French marigold seeds, compost, a seed tray and instructions will be available free to residents keen to start sowing.

The packs can be collected from:

·Haxby Library on Friday 28 March from 12 noon to 6pm

·Strensall Library on Monday 31 March from 2-5pm

·Fulford Library on Tuesday 1 April from 2-5pm

·Bishopthorpe Library on Wednesday 2 April from 2-5pm

·Tang Hall Library on Monday 7April from 12 noon to 7pm.

To celebrate residents’ green-fingered talents, the best display of plants could be up for some blooming great prizes. To enter, simply email: plantyork@york.gov.uk with your name, address, phone number and a few photos of your display as well as which category you wish to enter:

Best-dressed house
Best dressed B&B or hotel
Best school display
Best community display
Best street displays
Best residential street
Best parade of shops.

All entries must be submitted toplantyork@york.gov.uk by 15 June, after which date members of the Ancient Society of York Florists will be out and about judging the winners.Category winners will be given a planted-up hanging basket ready to display with pride, second prizes will a large tray of bedding plants and third prizes will be a smaller tray of mixed bedding.

For more information about Planting the City Yellow and the competition, visit York: Be part of it at www.york.gov.uk/tourdefrance or go to http://www.experiencetherace.com/