Gardeners urged to turn Yorkshire yellow for the Tour de France

Residents of Yorkshire are being urged to “turn the white rose county yellow for one amazing weekend” to celebrate the Grand Départ of the Tour de France.

The first two stages of the 101st edition of the race, the full route of which will be unveiled in Paris on Wednesday, take place in Yorkshire.

Stage 1 runs from Leeds to Harrogate on Saturday 5 July, while the following day’s Stage 2 takes the peloton from York to Sheffield.

A leaflet put together by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) gives growing tips for gardeners as well as suggestions of which plants to use to ensure the maximum impact next summer.

Welcome to Yorkshire, the agency that is co-ordinate the Tour’s visit, says: “We are encouraging gardeners to paint the canvas of the county yellow by planting show-stopping displays of bedding plants and perennials along the routes and across Yorkshire to mark the historic occasion.”

In May this year, Team GB's success at London 2012 as well as Sir Bradley Wiggins' Tour de France win, plus the prospect of the race returning to Britain next year, meant that cycling themes were prominent at the RHS Malvern Spring Gardening Show.

You can find the RHS’s leaflet regarding 'Turning Yorkshire Yellow' on the Le Tour Yorkshire website.