The ‘Superbloom’ project will see 20 million carefully selected seeds sown in the Tower’s moat, creating a vibrant sea of continuously evolving flowers from June to September 2022.
Professor Nigel Dunnett from the University of Sheffield’s Department of Landscape Architecture, who has designed the unique seed mixes, said: “we hope that the effect of being surrounded by a sea of colourful, sparkling and vibrant flowers will release feelings of pure joy in visitors – it will be such a powerful, emotional and celebratory experience.”
Sowing will take place in Spring 2022, following a year of extensive testing and planning.
For the first time, the Tower of London’s moat – a space built in the 13th century to keep people out, will welcome visitors in – from June 2022 it will be open every day for visitors to witness the spectacle of the ‘Superbloom’ close-up.
The project marks the first stage of a transformation of the moat into a new natural landscape in the heart of the City of London, as a permanent Jubilee legacy.
With a planting scheme designed to attract bees, pollinators and seed-eating birds, the flowering display will provide a biodiverse space to support wildlife.
Nigel added: “we’ve undertaken a lot of testing and trials to ensure that we deliver dramatic, beautiful impressionistic blends of colours, a long and continuous sequence of flowering and a wonderful place for pollinating insects.”
‘Superbloom’ follows the successful ‘Poppies’ and ‘Flames’ installations in 2014 and 2018, which commemorated the Centenary of the First World War.
Sheffield connections
The project, which was conceived by Historic Royal Palaces (HRP) – the charity which cares for the Tower of London – and involves landscape architects Grant Associates, has been in the planning for several years.
The Tower of London ‘Superbloom’ has its roots in the Department of Landscape Architecture and very strong Sheffield connections.
Professor Nigel Dunnett
Nigel said: “the inspiration for the Tower of London ‘Superbloom’ came from my experience of being in the real ‘Superbloom’ of 2019 in Southern California, where whole mountain ranges changed colour with flowers.”
“In communicating to HRP my experience of being surrounded by millions of flowers, the rare and special nature of these superblooms and the transformative effect this had on the hundreds of thousands of people who, like me, came to see an amazing natural phenomenon, the idea of creating a similarly rare and special event in the moat in 2022 was born.”
In summer 2021, Nigel led extensive tests at Sheffield-based social enterprise Green Estate, to ensure that the planting delivers a long and continuous sequence of flowering for visitors to enjoy.
Nigel added: “the Tower of London ‘Superbloom’ has its roots in the Department of Landscape Architecture at the University of Sheffield and very strong Sheffield connections. It's the latest in a long succession of 'designed superblooms' arising out of research in the Department.”
“This research, which developed reliable designed meadow seed mixes, was originally applied in parks and housing areas as well as along highways in Sheffield.”
“Demand for these seed mixes grew to be so high, that I formed the University of Sheffield company 'Pictorial Meadows'. It’s exciting that Pictorial Meadows and Green Estate will be closely involved in the delivery of the moat project.”
Students from the Department of Landscape Architecture enjoyed first-hand involvement with the major project, with two students – Ann Treneman and Zeyu Li – basing their MA research dissertations around the trials and the planning of the event.
Benefits for people and nature
An explosion of colour within London’s urban landscape, the Tower’s ‘Superbloom’ will also celebrate the value of nature to wellbeing.
School children are being invited to take part in a major initiative to support the project; growing their own displays, created from a special palette of seeds, to bloom alongside the one at the Tower.
The planting scheme will bring spectacular natural beauty to the feet of the Tower’s ancient walls, as well as introducing a significant and much needed resource for pollinators and seed-eating birds.
Early tests have demonstrated the power of even a small number of flowers to increase the biodiversity in the moat.
Andrew Grant, Director, Grant Associates, said: "the prospect of transforming the Tower of London moat from barren amenity grassland into a spectacle of nature was irresistible and we look forward to seeing this historic evolution unfold over the coming months.”
“We anticipate this bold intervention will be a catalyst for many other transformational projects across the country, bringing colour and life to renew our urban neighbourhoods."
Nigel added: "staging the Tower of London ‘Superbloom’ is thrilling, especially as it is the first stage in a long-term transformation of the moat into a diverse landscape for nature and people.”
“The event has been in the planning and design stages for over a year, but it is only now that we are able to talk about it. Suddenly it has become real, with the first works already starting in the moat.”