It has taken two gardeners more than a month to plant the 35,000 flowers, but this year’s Floral Clock design in Edinburgh’s West Princes Street Gardens has been officially unveiled.
The much-photographed timepiece this year marks the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice, leading to the end of the First World War. The clock features a poppy flanked by two First World War soldiers. The flowers in the clock will be in bloom until October.
The West Princes Street Gardens landmark, maintained by the City of Edinburgh Council, has been created in partnership with Armed Forces charity Poppyscotland as part of their year-long fundraising campaign, The 1918 Poppy Pledge.
Edinburgh’s Lord Provost, Frank Ross, was joined yesterday at the floral clock unveiling by Poppyscotland’s Chief Executive Mark Bibbey, workers and ex-servicemen from Poppyscotland’s Lady Haig Poppy Factory, where all of the country’s five million poppies are made each year, and parks staff responsible for creating the clock.
“It is an honour to be able to support the life-changing work carried out by Poppyscotland with this Floral Clock design,” said Lord Provost, Frank Ross.
“As always, I am delighted to officially unveil this striking and much-loved creation, which is a source of enjoyment and fascination for so many people every day, and I’d like to congratulate our dedicated parks staff, whose hard work has paid off once again.”
Gordon Michie, Head of Fundraising at Poppyscotland, said the clock “will give a unique, powerful and emotive view of Remembrance in the vibrancy and colour of the 35,000 flowers”.
“It will be a place to not only visit and take photographs, but also a place to reflect on the sacrifices that so many gave on our behalf. Furthermore, it is fitting that the Floral Clock is situated close to so many other monuments in West Princes Street Gardens to those that have served.”
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