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As we nudge ever-closer to the promise of a four-day bank holiday, you’ll notice that London is steadily becoming more and more festooned with bunting, blooms and 1950s-themed knick-knacks like some city-wide version of the ‘Bake Off’ tent.
Of course, all this is in readiness for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, which kicks off at zero-hundred hours on June 2. But what of those long-planned tributes to Her Majesty’s 70-year reign that haven’t gone as smoothly as desired? It’s hard not to feel sympathy for the team over at the Tower of London, as news reaches us of a desperate mission to have its ‘Superbloom’ display up and flowering in time for the festivities. Earlier this week it was looking very sorry for itself.
The display has been designed to be viewed from above, with the selection of blooms inspired by the Queen’s 1953 coronation gown. In the centre is a massive glass crown which represents the Tower of London’s time-honoured rôle as keeper of the Crown Jewels – in a sort of ‘here heist here’ move.
The landmark is inviting visitors to ‘Come and celebrate the Platinum Jubilee year of Her Majesty The Queen at the Tower of London, and see the historic moat transformed into a beautiful new naturalistic landscape.’ Unfortunately with the cold weather and – up until this week anyway – relatively dry spring, many of the blooms had been refusing to play ball and it’s been touch and go whether the display will be flowering in its full glory this weekend.
Opening on June 1 just ahead of the Jubilee Bank holiday (as with the famous 1914-1918 poppy installation), ‘Superbloom’ has proved a popular draw, with many days already sold out. Over 20 million seeds were sown in the capital’s most famous moat to create a biodiverse habitat for London wildlife, and the planting is specially designed to gradually shift colour, moving from fresh greens and whites, through to warm pinks and oranges by September when it closes.
The Tower explains ‘Designed to attract pollinators, insects and seed-eating birds, the display will evolve over the course of the summer, creating a wonderful sensory experience for visitors.’
Luckily, this recent bout of foul wet weather has actually been a boon for the flowers, and some of them have already begun to get a shift on, so by the extended evening openings in July and August, hopefully it will be a proper bloomin’ paradise, your majesty.
‘Superbloom’, Tower of London, Jun 1-Sep 18 2022. Tickets from £12.
In more weird and wonderful Jubilee news, Madame Tussauds’ Royal waxworks are reuniting.
All the great things to do over the Platinum Jubilee long weekend.