Floral clock celebrating RNLI - Angus Robertson

The annual floral clock in Edinburgh’s Princes Street Gardens is this year dedicated to the RNLI and its 200th anniversary. Retired gardener David Dorward works on the display which took himself and two other gardeners seven weeks and 35,000 plants

In just six weeks, a team of three gardeners planted over 35,000 flowers and plants, including 20 different species such as antennaria, crassula, echeveria, sedum, saxifrage, pyrethrum, begonias, and geraniums. The clock will be in bloom until October.

A special mention goes to David Dorward, the former Botanical Services Manager, who has been involved in planting the clock for 42 years. Despite retiring, he continues to oversee the planting and train new staff.

The Floral Clock, first created in 1903 by Edinburgh Parks Superintendent John McHattie, is the oldest of its kind in the world. Originally, it had only an hour hand, with a minute hand added in 1904 and a cuckoo clock in 1952.

Since 1946, the clock has honoured various organisations and individuals, including the Girl Guides Association, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Queen Elizabeth II for her Golden Jubilee. In 2003, the clock won a Gold Medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show during its centenary year.

Angela Rook, Associate Director of the RNLI said: “It is a great honour for the RNLI to feature in this year’s Princes Street Gardens Floral Clock, in what is a defining year in our history. Our crew and volunteers are the lifeblood of our charity; from our fundraisers who work so hard in funding our lifesaving mission to our water safety volunteers who deliver vital messaging to help keep people safe – they will all be thrilled to be recognised in this way.”