Flower display based on Queen’s Coronation gown to be created at Tower of London

A garden flower display based on the Queen’s Coronation gown will be created at the Tower of London this summer as part of a “Superbloom” meadow.

The combination of meadow flowers, topiary and summer-flowering perennials, bulbs and ornamental grasses will form “The Queen’s Garden” situated in the tower’s Bowling Green, Historic Royal Palaces has said.

It comes as part of a spectacular floral display taking place at the historic site to coincide with the national celebrations of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee at the start of June.

The garden will take inspiration from the monarch’s coronation gown in 1953, designed by British couturier Sir Norman Hartnell, with lavender and a mix of summer flowers making up the design.

The display will be based on the Queen’s gown (PA)PA Archive/PA Images - Royalty

Her coronation dress was a white satin gown, encrusted with diamonds, gold and silver bullion, seed pearls, crystals, pale amethysts and sequins to create a shimmering effect.

Embroidery in pastel-coloured silks depicted the emblems of the United Kingdom and countries of the Commonwealth.

Twelve cast glass forms representing the national emblems will also make up the display.

It will be in bloom ready for the start of the Jubilee weekend and will remain in place until September.

An ocean of flowers will also fill the Tower of London’s moat as part of the Superbloom.

Elsewhere, Westminster Abbey is to open its roof to the public from June for 90-minute tours to mark the Platinum Jubilee.

Running until August, the tours will give people the chance to see the Abbey’s architecture.

The Abbey will open for roof tours (Dominic Lipinski/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Dominic Lipinski

Eva Koch-Schulte, of Historic Royal Palaces, said: “The Queen’s Garden is a really integral part of our plans to mark the Platinum Jubilee at the Tower of London this summer and it seemed only fitting to share news of this tribute from us at Historic Royal Palaces on Her Majesty’s birthday.

“In its inspiration, the garden references the tower’s ancient association with coronations while drawing on the best of contemporary horticultural design and British craftsmanship in its creation.”

Glass artist Max Jacquard said: “This is a terrifically exciting project to be involved with and we have tried to pay homage to Her Majesty and to Norman Hartnell in the crafting of the emblems embroidered on The Queen’s coronation dress.

“Inspired by Hartnell’s embroidery techniques, we have put a contemporary twist on the designs by using rich patterns translated into coloured glass.”