Vice Convener of Transport and Environment Cllr Karen Doran City of Edinburgh Council and Claire Telfer, Head of Scotland at Save the Children formally unveiled the 2019 Floral Clock in Princes Street today.
Work has now finished on this year’s design on the world’s oldest Floral Clock which was first created in 1903. Planting begins in May each year and up to 40,000 plants are used in each design. The clock has been operating electrically since 1973 and it was in 1946 that the clock began to be used to celebrate an event or anniversary each year.
The Floral Clock honours the centenary of @SaveUKNews this year This is the oldest floral clock in the world and it’s 11 ft 10 inches wide pic.twitter.com/a4B2ONuNI2
— Edinburgh Reporter (@EdinReporter) June 19, 2019
For 2019, the hugely popular landmark commemorates the centenary of charity Save the Children.
Councillor Doran was joined by Claire Telfer, Head of Save the Children in Scotland, and the council parks staff responsible for creating the clock. Together they officially unveiled this year’s intricate design marking the centenary.
One hundred years ago, Save the Children’s founder Eglantyne Jebb, along with her sister Dorothy, held a public meeting in London’s Albert Hall to launch the charity. Their mission was very simple – to fight for children left sick and starving in Europe after the First World War. Since that day, Save the Children has always been there for children when they’ve needed the charity the most.
David Dorward is the Floral Clock man. we use a variety of different succulents and annuals. This year we have begonia semperflorens, pyrethrum golden moss, different varieties of echevarias and several different varieties of sedums. We have Alternanthera this year and there are some thymes in there too.”
We challenged David about the colour in the clock but he explained the colour is yet to come out and the optimum time to view the clock will be in mid July when all the begonias will flower.
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