Summary
Every spring , the horticulture squad plantsEdinburgh’sFloral Clock , a prominent showpiece that mix in gardening with horology . The entire display , include the clock hand and numbers , springs to animation with thousands oftypes of flowersand plants . Growing from about 13,000 works in the 1930s , the elaborateflower clock Edinburghnow features over 35,000 flowers .
Are you curious about how the giantfloral clockin Edinburgh was made ? check more about its origins , garden decorfeatures , and how the gardener flora thespring garden .
How Was the Edinburgh Floral Clock Made?
Its grand opening was 14 February 2025
Constructed in 1903 , the giantflower clock Edinburgh , in Scotland , United Kingdom , is one of the first of its kind and is often proclaim the oldestfloral clockin the world . Located in the West Princes Street Garden , this masterpiece , which started ticking on June 10 , 1903 , still enjoin the time to this Clarence Day .
Edinburgh Parks Superintendent John McHattie created the original presentation . The magnanimous cosmetic clock face , formed with carpet beddinggarden decorand many differenttypes of flower , is a whopping 12 feet across and 36 feet in circuit .
James Ritchie & Sonsinstalled the clock ’s mechanism , relieve from parts of the Elie Parish Church in Fife . They post theclock parts in the al-Qa’ida of the Alan Ramsay Statuerather than underground like other floral clocks . For the first 70 age , theflower clockoperated mechanically , have in mind it had to be wound daily .
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Carl Linnaeus project thefloral clockin his 1751 treatise Philosophia Botanica . This eccentric of clock tell clock time base on the multiplication the flowers bloom rather than using a mechanical clock .
Clock Upgrades Over the Years
For the first year, it operated with only an hour hand
The world - famousflower clock Edinburgh , which inspiredgarden decoraround the populace , had many additions and climb over the age .
Spring Planting of the Flower Clock
May to June marks gardening time
Over a flow of four to six workweek , from May to June , gardeners plant the spring garden with over 35,000 flush to mark the clock face and hand . The planting country cross over 2,000 square infantry , and the gardener must repose on ladder on the 40 - degree inclined hill to avoid disturbing the ground while they localise the plant life . Once planted , theflowers flower from July to October .
Every year , there is a different topic , such as 2024 ’s celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution . In 2003 , the Floral Clock ’s 100th anniversary , it bring home the bacon a gold medal at theChelsea Flower Show .
Types of Flowers in the Floral Clock
Low-growing plants form the carpet bedding design
Theflower clock Edinburghcomprises a carpet layer , withlow - growingfoliage plants and flowers set closely together to resemble a tightly tissue rug . Thecarpet eff designandtypes of flowersandspring gardenplants variegate each year . Common plants admit succulent likeecheveria , sedum(gold moss ) , and crassula , and annuals likebegonias , geraniums , and pyrethrum .
gardener also dig up severalperennial flora , andoverwinter them in greenhousesto help reduce costs . The yearly budget for thisgarden decorproject is over 6 million pound .
type of works
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USDA Hardiness Zone
Soil Type
Sunlight
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Water
Temperature
Echeveria
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Zones 9 to 11
Loam or sandpaper
Provide full sunshine or partial shadowiness ( about four to eight hours of sunshine a daytime ) .
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piss when ironical , every seven to 10 days .
Thrives within temperature between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit .
Sedum acre
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Zones 3 to 8
Loam , trash , or sandpaper
Provide full sun , between six and eight hours of sunlight a day .
Prefers temperatures between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit .
Crassula
zone 9 to 12
allow full or partial sun ( six to eight hours of sunlight a day ) .
Water when dry , every seven to 14 days .
Likes temperature between 65 and 75 degree Fahrenheit .
Begonia
zone 7 to 11
Partial sun ( four to six hours of sunlight a day ) is favor .
weewee once or twice a week when the top 1 inch of stain is juiceless .
Thrives in temperatures between 60 and 75 degree Fahrenheit .
Geranium
Zones 4 to 9 ( depending on variety )
Loam , ice / clay , or sand
Full or fond sun ( six to eight hour of sunshine a day )
weewee once a week when the top 1 inch of soil is wry .
Prefers temperatures between 60 and 65 degree Fahrenheit .
Pyrethrum Daisy
Zones 4 to 10
Loam , the Great Compromiser , or sandpaper
Water once every seven to 14 day when the top 1 to 2 inch of soil is teetotal .
Likes temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit .
Floral Clock Trends
Create a DIY floral clock
Since its inaugural debut in 1903 , manyflower clocksaround the world have read their brainchild from Edinburgh ’s renowned clock , such as theInternational Peace Garden Floral Clock , Niagara Parks Floral Clock , and the Zacatlán Floral Clock . They are also often showcased at fair , Park , and cemeteries . Constructed with either a sundial or a mechanically skillful clock , flower clocks are commonly positioned on a hill to leave an ideal vantage degree to tell the clip and see the blooming display .
Do you wish you could secern the metre on a flowered clock ? Create your own with a funDIY project :
What Time Is It? Time to Garden!
Since 1903 , theflower clock Edinburghhas wow visitors with itsspring gardenand summer display . Thisfloral clockin Scotland ’s majuscule is one of the first and most illustrious in the world . With a variety oftypes of flowers , from echeveria to begonia and pyrethrums , thegarden decoreach twelvemonth is always different but evenly stunning . Telling time during the summer months for over 120 days , this is one attraction in the United Kingdom to insure out for anthophiles ( i.e. bloom partizan ) .
Plus , if you are reading the fourth dimension on afloral clock , that means it’stime to garden !
