Follow the flowers

Nottingham city centre will once again be the site of an inventive floral trail running across the city’s shopping and commercial centre. The floral trail, which is now in its third year, is jointly sponsored by Nottingham Business Improvement District (BID) and Nottingham City Council. It comprises 12 specially designed Willow sculptures woven around Amberol’s self-watering containers which will flower throughout the summer.

Popular with visitors and residents alike, the trail reflects the city’s retail, manufacturing and leisure businesses. Sculptures will include a handbag outside the Victoria Centre and a guitar and treble clef at Trinity Square. This year’s sculptures will also feature designs from two local schoolchildren - a teddy bear and a pair of theatre masks, chosen as part of a competition judged by a panel of judges and via Facebook likes.

Each planter features a phrase and QR code which can be scanned to enter a competition to win £100 worth of vouchers. The containers have been planted by city council’s nursery team at Woodthorpe Grange and will form part of Nottingham’s entry into East Midlands in Bloom.

Councillor Cat Arnold, Executive Assistant for Culture and Tourism says: 

“The floral trail is a big hit with shoppers and visitors to the city centre and we are delighted that there are four beautiful new sculptures to see this year. The planting by the nursery staff really enhances the wicker work and I am sure the trail will be another great talking point this summer.”

If you have any photographs or stories about how Amberol’s self-watering containers are used in your area, please email info@amberol.co.uk, we’d love to hear about them!