City centre flowerbeds promote show entry

The beds around the landmark building in the city centre have been filled with polyanthus crescendo flowers and signs to help to promote the entry.

The garden's theme is the green links connecting the city centre to surrounding countryside and the design team – created by the Leeds City Council's parks and countryside service with engineering support and sponsorship from Leeds-based Hesco Bastion – used the Leeds and Liverpool canal as its inspiration.

The centrepiece will be a lock gate allowing water to flow into a mock canal, beside three distinct habitats – woodland, wetland and a floral meadow – which can all be found in green spaces in Leeds.

The public will be able to see more of the garden design at the Civic Hall tomorrow when a model and supporting information will be on display in the ante-chamber before the full council meeting.

A member of the garden design team will also be on hand to discuss any elements of the project with interested members of the public.

Leeds City Council's acting head of parks and countryside Sean Flesher, who is managing the project, said: "Even though the finished garden will not be seen for the first time until the show itself in London, it is important that the people of Leeds can feel part of this project and get behind it, so that is why we are keen to do strong visual things like the flowerbeds and the Civic Hall display which everyone will be able to see."

Leeds City Council has enjoyed great success at Chelsea in recent years, with all seven previous gardens dating back to the first in 1997 earning bronze or silver category awards.