Floral Clock in the Park

The reverse of this old family photo says “Blantyre Park”.

I believe this is Stonefield Park in Low Blantyre. It shows a beautiful clockface made out of flowers. Sometimes other emblems or floral displays would be planted, e.g. for remembrance or St Andrews Day and I know this was maintained even into the 1970s. 

In Jun 1967, the parks gardeners chose the National Blood Donors Society to display a floral version of he badge of the society (instituted in 1946). To give you an idea of the work that went into these fine displays, upwards of 2,000 small colourful plants were used, watered, weeded and looked after. It was something appreciated by all.

I have to wonder how long such a display would last now in that park? Do you remember floral displays in our parks?

Featuring Blantyre Project Social Media with permission. Strictly not for use by others on or offline, our visitors said:

Mary Bell Don’t remember much but remember that lts because your bringing back memories x
Moyra Lindsay I remember the coronation one and I was seven. Spectacular!
Catherine Whitefield Park displays were always lovely
Margaret Elma Griffin I remember the floral displays in Stonefield and High Blantyre Parks they were beautifully kept and woe betide you if the Parky caught you doing any damage
Janette Mackenzie My father in law worked as gardener in stone field park and done some lovely displays x
Catriona Paterson Both parks were beautiful at one time…….shame on South Lanarkshire council.
Ann Durie I was talking about these displays just recently. I remember them well in Stonefield park. They used to have beautiful rose beds too.
Such a shame all of that is lost to us. Xx
Joseph Allan REAMEMBER THEM MY DAD WORKT DOWN THE PARK MAINTENING FLOWER BEDS GRASS CUTING ON THE BOATS GOOD DAYS
Valerie Krawczyk I remember them well, those were the days when we had a park superintendent! In the 50’s /60’s his name was Angus Crowe.
Georgina Durnans Mackie I remember these well my mum would take pictures of us next to the floral beds beautiful park when to waste
Iain Mcmillan I think the council should start doing the parks again as they make you feel good when they are looking good people just need to leave them alone and not spoil it for others
Moira Macfarlane Remember it well,,
Janet Slivinski I remember the clock ⏰ displays they were beautiful as was the park
John Dunsmore Sadly those days are all gone more the. Pity.
Elizabeth Knowles Thank you for the memory, yes beautiful display, I love this forum.
Linda Halpin Yes used to pass it most days x
Carolyn Patterson I remember them well
Christine Forrest Why should we accept it has gone c’mon it’s not rocket science why don’t people interested in gardening get together as “friends of stone field park” and improve the park ourselves we could all contribute a few pounds and learn a bit enroute it’s can be done. We know financial budgets tight by s Lanarkshire . Would not take too much work as here people enjoyed it looking glam in 1960s and 1970s volunteers?
Christine Forrest We could get the schools involved separately with designs plus people who are retired or don’t have jobs etc etc
Karen Nicoll Oh I remember the beautiful clock displays, Flower beds etc, such a beautiful park all gone now x
Isabella Johnston McShane Im proud to say my grandfather james mackenzie was responsible for the displays in the 60s n 70s in stonefeild park
Jeanette Allardyce Ward I remember this. They used to do this across from the boating pond on the slopes grass x
Brendan O’neill I remember the clock the park was beautiful. South Lanarkshire Council should hang there head in shame
Tom Loggie In 1951 the park had a beautiful floral display of the festival of Britain
Margaret Reid Remember them well
Mari Pollock Thompson My late father, Allan Pollock, was a gardener working under Angus Crowe way back in the day. My Dad became the youngest Parks Superintendent when we moved to Stirling in 1963, the local press wrote a wee article about him at the time. Thinking of the clock, one of my favorite floral designs by Dad was
“Plant a Tree in “73.” This bloomed in Corporation Park in Blackburn , Lancashire along with many more until Dad retired. These days a lot of parks are just grass with a little bit of planting. Such a shame, parks were a place of escapism and beauty in the day.
Nancy McFadden Remember them well my next door neighbor Mr Watson worked in the park and my uncle Dan Lynch …we got on the pedal boats for nothing when he was there
Jeanette Izzett I remember the floral displays in the park they were beautiful.
Margaret Sowerby I remember this well x stonefield park across from my in laws house in John Street x
Frances Reid there was always beautiful displays i used to take photos of the kids standing in front of them in the 60s xx
Martha Brown My grand father worked in this park until he was kiked by a horse and lost his leg he was only a young man at the time