If you grew up in Felixstowe, or spent summers here in the 1980s and 1990s, you almost certainly remember the sculptures. Every year, outside the Leisure Centre on the seafront, a new creation would appear: a towering figure made entirely of living plants, flowers, and greenery, sculpted into the shape of a mermaid, a sea god, a mythical creature, or some fantastical hybrid of all three.
The sculptures were a genuine talking point — the kind of thing that made visitors stop and stare, and that locals looked forward to seeing each year. They were ambitious, slightly eccentric, and entirely in keeping with the spirit of a British seaside town that has always done things its own way.
The photograph above, taken by Kevin Lewis and shared with Felixstowe News, shows one of the most memorable: a towering Neptune-like figure, arms raised, trident in hand, surrounded by waves of green foliage and a riot of marigolds and lavender at its base. Behind it, the familiar red-and-white striped awnings of the seafront amusements. It is, unmistakably, Felixstowe.
The sculptures eventually stopped appearing — the reasons are not entirely clear, though cost and the practicalities of maintaining living structures through a British summer were almost certainly factors. But the memories have not faded.
We asked our readers: should the floral sculptures make a comeback? The response has been overwhelming. Dozens of people have shared their memories — of bringing children to see them, of photographing them on holiday, of using them as a meeting point on the seafront. The consensus is clear: Felixstowe misses them.
If you have memories of the floral sculptures, we would love to hear from you. Email us at [email protected] or share your photos and memories on our social media pages.
