Salisbury Cathedral's popular Flower Festival returns
The building has been transformed
Last updated 10th May 2022
Around 30,000 blooms fill Salisbury Cathedral as the Flower Festival makes its long awaited return.
The event was initially intended to take place in 2020 to celebrate 800 years since the laying of the building's foundation stone, but was delayed due to the pandemic.
It is now commemorating both the cathedral's milestone anniversary, and the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
Around 450 florists were given the brief "celebration" to create 127 exhibits around the Cathedral's nave and cloisters.
Among the exhibits is a replica of the Queen's famous ermine trimmed coronation robe, made from painstakingly stitched together pampas grass, seeds and pressed leaves sprayed gold.
There's also a display based on the Sex Pistols and the Beatles!
Hundreds of decorated paper hearts hanging from the cathedral's vaulted ceiling are part of a community project families, day centres, care homes and schools.
It's been designed by Michael Bowyer, Angela Turner and Pam Lewis, who say they're very excited to get going after such a long delay.
Yesterday (Monday 9th May), arrangers spent all day getting their displays up and ready for the start of the festival.
The cathedral expects to welcome around 10,000 visitors between today and the festival's closing date on May 15.
There's a nod to those who kept us safe during the pandemic as well.
Two floral archers have been created to honour key workers and NHS staff.
Anyone who wants to buy tickets can do so by going to the Cathedral's website.