Staff at floral features supplier Plantscape have experienced their longest-ever season thanks to a flow of orders which unexpectedly lasted right up until the end of July.

Four months after it planted its first flower for summer 2011, Plantscape, the UK's largest supplier of hanging baskets and street planters, was still receiving calls for displays for this year from councils across the country - even though they would only be required for around 10 weeks.

The lateness means that flowers can be bought well-developed, allowing them to offer an instant display and allowing Plantscape, which is based in Hulland, near Ashbourne in Derbyshire, to offer quick turnaround times.

However, the eleventh hour nature of the orders was nevertheless unusual, said the firm's managing director, Mark Stone, who believes that uncertainties concerning council budgets may be a factor.

He said: "There was no question of us not being able to meet the orders, but it was certainly very unusual for us to receive orders at this stage of the year, bearing in mind much of the summer had already gone.

"I can only imagine that councils weren't originally able to afford them, but then managed to secure some extra funding and decided to use it to brighten up pockets of their communities with extra floral displays."

Despite the cuts to their budget, most councils have continued to decorate their streets this year, mindful of the benefits a splash of colour can bring. Among those who ordered planters were Broxbourne Borough Council in  Hertfordshire, which trialled a display ready for next year when the borough hosts an event, and St Just Town Council in West Cornwall.

Mr Stone added: "The positive effect floral displays have on shoppers' and tourists' perception of a town or city cannot be underestimated.

"They always feature highly when councils carry out well-being surveys among their residents and you can bet that if a council puts up a good display, they will get letters of thanks. We see that time and time again.

"This is why, although they are under pressure to make cuts and floral displays might represent an easy saving, most councils are continuing to invest in them."