East Cowes' Osborne House is the setting for a student-designed flowerbed, fit for a Queen, and a new tree — planted for Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee.
Island dignitaries and school pupils gathered at Queen Victoria’s former seaside home this morning (Wednesday).
To mark what is the current monarch's 70th year on the throne, Lord Lieutenants past and present planted a Nootka Cypress tree on the grounds of the English Heritage-run site.
They were joined by students from Queensgate Primary School, who prior to today's ceremony, were tasked with creating a jubilee-themed flowerbed.
The Walled Garden - where Ben's flowerbed will sit.
11-year-old Ben Page saw his Union Jack design crowned the winner. He’ll now get go watch it come to life in the Walled Garden later this year.
Speaking to Isle of Wight Radio, he said he's thrilled but surprised to have won the competition:
"At first I didn't know what to do so I did a Union Jack but it looked quite boring so I didn't think I'd win. I'm quite happy actually.
"First we were practicing on scrap paper and then we moved onto the final version. All the dots are where the flowers are so we had to do it kind of with dots."
The flowerbed is expected to bloom by mid-summer, while it could take up to 50 years for the Nootka Cypress to fully grow.
Ben's design.
Lord Lieutenant Susie Sheldon helped plant it alongside her predecessors Major General Sir Martin White and Christopher Bland.
She told Isle of Wight Radio that Osborne House is a fitting home for the tree, given its history.
She said:
"This was Queen Victoria's home and a very special royal place so having this very traditional planted here, and I know English Heritage is trying to restore the garden into the original plans and original gardening, it's all wonderfully appropriate.
"Her Majesty has reigned for 70 years and I think we can all agree she's hardly put a foot wrong. It's really exciting that she should choose this green Queen's canopy as the way to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee.
"People all over the country are planting trees and loads have been planted on the Isle of Wight. It's a lovely project."
Nootka Cypress is in good company
The latest addition to Osborne's historic grounds joins its already impressive collection of trees.
Some of the surviving historic trees – including those planted for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee and King George V’s silver jubilee - can still be seen on the grounds.
Toby Beasley, Head Gardener at Osborne House, told Isle of Wight Radio:
"Osborne's got a very long history of planting memorial trees. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert planted over 260 trees as memorials on site here and we've continued that tradition ever since really.
"We've got several trees to mark very significant moments in time... so why not have one for Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee."
Nootka Cypresses have been recorded in the grounds since the mid-19th century, with one being planted to mark Queen Victoria’s 40th birthday in 1859.
Toby Beasley, head gardener.
Queen Victoria took part in numerous ceremonies herself - a particularly poignant occasion came on 30 August 1900 when Queen Victoria planted a purple sycamore in memory of her fourth child Alfred, one month after he had died.
WATCH as Osborne House marks the Queen's Platinum Jubilee...
41 sites across the Island are taking part in the Queen's Green Canopy Project.
You can see an interactive map here.
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