The moat of the Tower of London is undergoing a special makeover to mark Queen Elizabeth’s jubilee. A sea of flowers overlooking her coronation year.
The stained-glass decorations on iron pillars at Queen’s Garden, a flower bed in the reclaimed moat around the Tower of London, are now a masterpiece of Superbloom, a custom-designed flower garden around the Grade II listed castle on the banks of the River Thames. Honoring Queen Elizabeth, seventy years on the throne, does not comply with protocol. British weather refused to cooperate, so the flowers take a little longer to appear.
“It was on the ambitious side,” admits Tom O’Leary. He works for Historic Royal Palaces, an organization that manages former royal palaces in England. Under the palace moat are foundations from the Roman period. So drilling with machines was not an option. The twenty million seeds should grow naturally. Strong winds, a cold spring, and a few hours of sunshine stood in the way of that process. But the Tower of London has been around for nearly a thousand years. It is believed that tourists can then be patient for two weeks.
homage, allegiance, or respect
The artwork in the Queen’s Garden lends a taste of Superbloom details: surrounded by pretty flowers, glassware pays tribute to the gown Elizabeth wore at her coronation. Designed by Norman Hartnell in 1952, the robe featured symbolic flowers and emblems from various Commonwealth nations. Artist Max Jacquard designed these ornaments in glass with his partner Don Bendick. By placing silk, precious stones, and beads in molds, the Englishman gave a true interpretation of his task.
Among others, the King Protea, the national symbol of South Africa, the English rose and the “maple leaf” of Canada under the crown of Elizabeth. If you draw a line between the two columns, you will detect wave movement. Jacquard explains the “features of the dress”. The true magnificence is revealed at night, when strategically placed spotlights give the glass a luster.
The Queen celebrates her 70th birthday on the throne. Use the arrows to scroll through the important events in her life in the interactive timeline below. Then the text continues.
Budget concerns led to a race against time for Jacquard. Because of the epidemic, the historic royal palaces lost about 120 million euros. Waiting for forecasts, the decision was made only at the end of February. The designs were ready in his studio, but the manual work was a time-consuming process. “It fits perfectly,” he says. The impressive feedback makes up for the wakeful nights.
Huge change
Professor Nigel Dunnett is still waiting for the outcome of his careful planning. Under the auspices of an expert in horticulture and the environment, the packed canal is undergoing massive change. The upper layer contains the seeds of the colorful flowers. Snakeweed, African daisies, marigolds, and variegated snapdragons make up a small part of the show.
“A couple of weeks ago, you didn’t see anything,” Dunnett says. “Now flowers and plants are appearing everywhere.” Having bees around areas where the chubby Allium Gladiators provide a purple glow makes for optimism. In the heart of London, in the shadow of the skyscrapers of the Financial District, long-lost biodiversity returns. A city reserve on royal land.
On the Waterloo Block side, where Crown Jewels are located, Scottish composer Erland Cooper created an ethereal atmosphere. With Celtic music of piano, cello, harp and violin in the hillside part, visitors imagine themselves in nature. “I did it in such a way that the sound of passing trucks added to the musical experience,” he explains.
The rubber surface on the east side literally absorbs noise. This trail overlooks Tower Bridge, which is the most photogenic spot in the Superbloom. And all next to the castle in which Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII, was imprisoned, and subsequently executed. Landscape architect James Clark assures that the color transformation will be complete in a few weeks.
“It’s too late for our next anniversary next weekend, but just in time for the tourists,” he says. If you wish, you can choose a cool entrance: instead of walking under the gate, you can enter the canal via a sleigh. “Although that is nothing for the Queen, at her age.”
