The floral displays intended to welcome visitors to Arbroath have been criticised as “half-hearted efforts”.
The criticism came after vandalism almost marred another burgh’s entry into a national competition.
Arbroath resident and plant lover Faye Robertson told The Courier that Arbroath’s gateway sites at the Westway and Fisheracre had gone to seed since local authority budget cuts this year.
Key flowering sites at roadsides in Carnoustie, Forfar and Montrose were previously funded by Angus Council but the neighbourhood services’ cash allocation was cut in the most recent council budget.
“Imagine if you’ve never been here before and the first impression you get on the way in is of empty flower beds or a half-hearted effort around the edges,” Mrs Robertson said.
“Things are on the slide and it will not take much longer to get to the bottom. I can’t see why other towns like Forfar can pull together and do something in the community, getting a bit of money from sources other than the council, and we can’t.”
Arbroath’s community council is suspended until September and the town retailers association is hard at work maintaining shabby shop fronts.
A council spokeswoman said: “Along with other councils in Scotland, we have had to take a number of decisions across all service areas to achieve a balanced budget.
“One of the decisions we took was to replace the annual summer and spring bedding with the more sustainable and cost-effective solution of ornamental shrubs, flowering perennials or grass.
“The exception to this will be at war memorials where the usual floral displays will continue.”
She continued: “We are offering them advice and expertise for growing, purchasing and maintaining bedding.
“In addition to this our external funding team is assisting them to explore funding options, whether that is advice on sponsorship and fundraising or guidance about available grants for start-up costs.”
Meanwhile, a neighbouring community’s attempt to fill the void created by cutbacks has suffered a setback.
Beautiful Scotland judges visit Carnoustie on Monday, but boxes of flowers have been vandalised in the High Street.
The community council has appealed for the public’s help to identify the culprits who pulled out plants and threw them into the nearby burn.
Jim Simpson, chairman of Carnoustie Community Council, said: “Following Angus Council’s recent drastic cutbacks, all the hanging baskets and planters are produced and cared for by community volunteers.
“This senseless vandalism affects so many people who are trying to improve the appearance of the town for visitors and locals alike.”
Only recently restocked with flowers, the flower boxes and street planters outside the Co-operative store were vandalised last week.
Residents are saddened to see their efforts at risk of going to waste.
Community council vice-chairman Ed Oswald said the vandalism is “most upsetting”.
He added: “Our small band of volunteers has worked so hard over the past few months to produce the planters and hanging basket displays and we have been overwhelmed by the tremendous sponsorship support from locals and businesses in the town.”