FLOWER power as the country has never seen it before is on its way to Suffolk, the Evening Star can reveal today.A floral spectacle unlike anything witnessed in the UK is set turn heads across the county and beyond when it is created this summer.

FLOWER power as the country has never seen it before is on its way to Suffolk, the Evening Star can reveal today.

A floral spectacle unlike anything witnessed in the UK is set turn heads across the county and beyond when it is created this summer.

A begonia flower carpet - featuring a quarter of a million flower heads and covering 500sq metres of ground - will be created at Bury St Edmunds' Abbey Gardens.

The project is being led by the Lions Club of Stowmarket and District to mark its 25th anniversary.

Stowmarket Lion Kit Carson said: "This is something the country has never seen before and it's going to be really incredible.

"There's a lot of work to do, but it will be worth it as every penny is going to charity."

Seed and plant giants Thompson and Morgan are supporting the project by dealing with the supply of flower heads and getting them shipped in from Belgium.

The carpet will attract crowds between Friday, August 26, and Sunday, August 28.

Flower heads will be picked in Belgium, packed into refrigerated containers and shipped to England on the Wednesday prior to the event.

They will arrive at the gardens at 8am the next day where they will be knitted to a template, ready for an official opening that evening.

The carpet design, although yet to be finalised, will depict scenes and symbols from Suffolk and a special platform will be built so visitors have an aerial view.

Organiser and Lion David Cleary said: "We are coming up with the basic idea for the carpet and experts in Holland are ensuring it can be satisfied with flower heads, and finalising the design.

"We think we are beating all those abroad this year so a first in a number of ways."

Profits made at the three-day event will be donated to children's hospices at Ipswich, Milton in Cambridge and Quiddenham in Norfolk, the St Elizabeth adult hospice in Ipswich and the St Nicholas' adult hospice in Bury St Edmunds and the Lions' club's annual charity fund.

WEBLINK:

www.begoniaflowercarpet.org.uk

www.lions.org.uk

www.stedmundsbury.gov.uk

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Begonias are named after Frenchman Michel Begon, a patron of botany

The plants originate from Brazil

Colours include yellows, oranges, pinks and white