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A hibiscus for Peaches

Peaches golding hibiscus

This carved hibiscus flower was awarded in 2019 to Peaches Golding, the Lord Lieutenant of Bristol, by the charity Penny Brohn UK.

jackie collins woman of the year award given to Peaches Golding

The subject matter was chosen as hibiscus flowers were very special to her. Peaches’ particular links to the city of Bristol were also referenced in the timbers used to make the sculpture:

​Greenheart wood was used to carve the calyx, sepals and stem. This came from a huge log that originally lay across the top of one of the North Junction lock gates, which lead from the Avon Gorge into Bristol harbour. The hard greenheart timber protected the softer pitch pine below from being struck by the prows of ships passing through. These gates were brought into service in 1873 and replaced in 2011, when some pieces were given to me.

​The petals are carved from plum timber, which grew at Westonbirt Arboretum in Gloucestershire.

​Coming out of the centre is a pistil carved out of lime timber, which came from the grand avenue of lime trees at Ashton Court in Bristol.

​The stamens are Douglas Fir, from an offcut of one of the masts of the SS Great Britain. This mast was fitted after the ship had been brought back from the Falkland Islands in 1970.