How Bath is celebrating 250 Years of Jane Austen through flowers
For its 2025 Britain in Bloom entry, Bath fills its streets with literary-themed flower displays and installations inspired by Austen’s life and letters
As part of Bath’s spectacular entry into this year’s Britain in Bloom UK Finals competition, the city has embraced its literary heritage through a dazzling array of Jane Austen-themed floral displays. Designed to honour the 250th anniversary of Austen’s birth, these horticultural tributes reflect not only creative planting but also deep community collaboration, bringing together volunteers, local artists and civic leaders to bloom in true Austenian elegance.
A floral tribute to Jane Austen across the city
Chosen to reflect the colours of the Jane Austen Centre, plants such as lobelia, petunia and salvia create a bold yet elegant display
Elsewhere, planters along Union Passage, Northumberland Place and Abbeygate Street feature a simple silhouette of Jane Austen, stencilled in black. This design has also appeared on Walcot Street, thanks to local group Wild Walcot, helping to link different areas of the city through shared themes.
Wild Walcot also added pink dianthus to their displays – a gentle nod to the “pinks” Austen mentioned in her letters. It’s a small but meaningful touch that brings her writing into Bath’s gardens.
The centrepiece of the celebration is a large floral sculpture in the Parade Gardens, shaped like an open book. Created by the B&NES Parks Department and commissioned by the Jane Austen Centre, it measures five metres across and features the words “Jane Austen”, the number 250 and the years 1775–2025. A striking metal silhouette of Austen, made by local company Iron Art, completes this beautiful tribute.
What’s in Bloom? Plant selection and meaning
Selected for visual impact, size and growth habit to suit the intricate frame, over 3,500 plug plants were grown from seed at Bath’s civic nursery
Four to five tonnes of peat-free
Austen’s words in bloom
26 Austen characters have been placed in shop windows across the city centre
- A character trail: Developed by Bath BID and the Jane Austen Centre, sees 26 Austen characters placed in shop windows. Each figure is accompanied by a quote to help identify them. Spot Captain Wentworth with his witty remark from Persuasion, or Miss Grey with her infamous wealth declaration.
- Bunting and book art: Strings of decorative flags inspired by Jane Austen’s novels are draped across shopping streets, while the Bath Assembly Rooms featured a light installation showing Austen and characters from Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, complete with glowing props like a purple quill.
- Historical exhibition: A Most Tiresome Place, at No. 1 Royal Crescent, gives voice to Jane Austen’s often ambivalent feelings about Bath with letters and documents revealing her complex relationship with the city.
Community spirit and literary legacy
Across the city, hanging baskets filled with purple, blue, white and yellow flowers brighten the streets
“Jane Austen brings our community together in a way that’s truly unique,” says Georgia Delve of Bath BID. “This year’s displays not only honour her literary brilliance but reflect the pride we take in our city’s heritage, creativity and green spaces.”
Looking ahead
Although no major new installations are planned for later in the year, the current floral displays will be carefully maintained and enhanced as the seasons change, ensuring that Austen’s presence remains in full bloom well into autumn and winter.
More Jane Austen events in 2025
Beyond Britain in Bloom, a series of events commemorating the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth continues throughout the year. The full programme, including walking tours, talks, exhibitions and September’s famed Jane Austen Festival, is available on the Welcome to Bath website.
