Category Archives: flowers

Abingdon Flower Club displays last weekend

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Last weekend in Abingdon was a mix of old and new, of history and creativity. Among the creativity were flower displays.

Abingdon Flower Club had floral displays across some of Abingdon’s open venues. Their arrangements could be seen in the Roysse Room at the Guildhall, under the County Hall, in Unit 25 on Bury Street among others.

On the Market Place, members invited passers-by to make hats decorated with flowers.

Abingdon Flower Club marked their 65th anniversary earlier this year. They have more than 60 members and meet on the first Tuesday of each month (except January) at the Northcourt Centre, where members take part in demonstrations, flower arranging, and social time together.

A Feast of Flowers and Clergy Changes at Abingdon-on-Thames Parish

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The front garden of St Helen’s Church Office is a joy to pass in any season. Its colourful, carefully tended flowers reflect the care and dedication found within the parish.

There are changes ahead for the clergy team. The Rev Dr Jennifer Brown, currently Associate Priest at St Helen’s, has been appointed Rector of Abingdon-on-Thames and will be licensed on Tuesday 21st October at 7 pm in St Helen’s Church.

The Rev Paul Smith will be retiring, with his final service on Wednesday 9th October at 7 pm in St Michael’s Church. We wish him the very best and are sorry to see him go.

Abingdon Marks 80th Anniversary of VE Day (Poppies, Cornflowers, Dandelions)

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At 12 noon today, residents of Abingdon gathered around the town’s war memorial to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day. The ceremony brought together townspeople, veterans, local dignitaries, members of the Abingdon Fire Service, police, and Scouts.

The town crier began with a formal proclamation. He remembered the celebrations in 1945, when the United Kingdom and its allies celebrated the end of the war in Europe, and spoke of Abingdon’s commemoration as a tribute to those who gave so much for the cause of freedom.

A two-minute silence followed. The flag of the Royal British Legion was lowered in respect.

Wreaths of red poppies were then laid at the base of the memorial, joined by bunches of blue flowers, including some cornflowers. In France, the blue cornflower, known as the “Bleuet de France,” serves as the national symbol of remembrance, similar to the poppy in the UK.

Another flower, the dandelion, is the flower of military children. Some of them have shared their writings with the Royal British Legion in Abingdon. Here is one that Clare sent me:

In folklore, blowing dandelions is believed to carry your dreams, wishes and thoughts. This is why I feel it is a perfect flower for military children.

When I see a dandelion, I wish for peace for the world. I pluck it by the stem, hold it to my lips and blow. As the wind gushes past, I watch the fairies fly in different directions, carrying my wishes and thoughts into the sky. At this moment, I feel like my dad is right by my side. I want to reassure him that I am OK. I don’t want him to worry about me as he has an important job to do. I think about how much I love him and how much I miss him.

My mind wanders away from my own life and I start to think about what it would have been like for children in World War II. Would they have had the same hopes and wishes? I think they would but their main wish would probably have been that their dads survive the War. I never want this to be my main wish and that is why I am grateful that I am not a child of war.

The Easter Garden at St Helen’s Church

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The Easter Garden, in the West Porch of St Helen’s Church, first happened during the pandemic. With church services suspended and indoor gatherings restricted, the garden provided a symbol of hope for passers-by.

Now an annual tradition, it will be on display throughout this Holy Week, from 11am to 3pm. With Easter falling late in 2025, finding spring flowers was a challenge.

The garden features three simple wooden crosses representing the scene of Calvary, with a stone symbolising the tomb. On Easter Sunday, the stone will be removed, and a small tealight will be placed inside the tomb to signify the resurrection.

The display is filled with moss, greenery, and a variety of flowers. Pansies in shades of purple and yellow, pale blue forget-me-nots, along with small white blossoms, came from the garden of Sue, the creator. Despite the Monday Market shifting to summer bedding plants, Sue found pots of Calibrachoa; their tiny purple and white flowers trail at the front. She also found pots of late daffodils, and hopes they’ll last until Easter Sunday.