Feature: Floral Crest at the Castle Grounds Honours The Queen’s 90th

Published on: 19 May, 2016
Updated on: 19 May, 2016

Head gardener, David Black, planting up the new floral crest in the Castle Grounds by the Castle Bowling Clubhouse. (Click to enlarge.)

A new floral crest is being prepared today (May 19), in Guildford’s Castle Grounds, in honour of the Queen’s 90th birthday.

Head gardener David Black was patiently planting up the design, properly referred to as a ‘floral crest’, while visitors were enjoying their lunch-breaks.

David said: It’s a lot of work. Once planted it will take about two weeks before the plants all grow together and the full effect can be properly appreciated.

“But the work does not stop there. We will then have to trim it every 9 to 20 days, depending on the weather.

“Obviously we can’t step on the design, once planted, so we have to rig up a low platform with ladders, trestles and planks and then trim by hand, carefully removing the trimmings as we go.

Each plant has to be individually positioned and dibbed in.

The late spring early summer is a very busy period for Guildford Borough Council’s gardeners. The spring planting which has been spectacular this year, owing to optimal growing conditions, will have to soon be removed and replaced with summer bedding.

When that occurs the old plants and bulbs can be taken by the public, free of charge.

But spare a thought for the council gardeners if it turns dry. David said: “During dry spells I get into the grounds nice and early to do the watering.

“The visitors don’t want to see hoses running all over the pathways, and, of course, there is a health and safety aspect as well, so sometimes I come in as early as 3.30am to start the watering.”

David explains his design to an interested visitor.

The Dragon says – hats off once again to David and his team for providing a fantastic amenity for the castle ground’s 500,000 visitors, per year, to enjoy.

Does David find his work satisfying knowing that he is providing so much pleasure? “Yes I do. And I get to meet lots of lovely people too.”

For the horticulturists among you, the plants that are making up the Queen’s birthday floral crest are: Alternanthera (red, yellow and green varieties), Pyrethrium, and the succulent Senecio. As there are no suitable white plants, chipped white marble will be used for the white sections of the union flag within the design.

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