Harrogate and Ripon Freemasons celebrate anniversaries with flower power

The Mayor of Harrogate Coun Anne Jones and the Provincial Grand Master of The Province of Yorkshire West Riding, David S Pratt, are watched by Harrogate Freemasons council employees as the pair perform the honours. Picture: Different PR

Harrogate and Ripon Freemasons have turned to flower power to help celebrate key milestones in the fraternity's history.

The three floral displays, located on Harrogate’s Montpellier Hill, within the Valley Gardens and in Ripon’s Spa Gardens, have been created by Harrogate Borough Council’s parks and environmental services department to mark the 300th anniversary of the first Freemasons Grand Lodge of England and the bicentenary of the Province of Yorkshire West Riding.

The flower beds, containing some 7,500 plants, were the brainchild of Doug Mills, charity steward of The Spa Lodge, who came up with the idea that the tercentenary of The United Grand Lodge of England and the bi-centenary of The Province of Yorkshire West Riding could be celebrated by a floral display in Harrogate.

He approached Harrogate Borough Council to see if they would support planting out beds to mark the two landmarks.

Doug said: “These three flower beds are simply stunning and they look absolutely fantastic. Six months ago it was merely an idea, and now it is reality. They are ‘bloomin’ brilliant’.

“I want to pay tribute to council leader Coun Richard Cooper, the council’s parks and environmental services department, and in particular horticultural officer Sue Wood, Harlow Hill Nursery operations manager Barrie Stringer and his team of nurserymen and gardeners.”