‘Leeds in Bloom’ captures the vibrant gardens and flourishing flowers that brighten up various locations throughout Leeds. The title is inspired by a Council initiative designed to motivate residents and businesses to enhance the city’s beauty by filling it with colorful floral displays. This initiative not only celebrates the city’s green spaces but also fosters a sense of community pride and creativity as people come together to decorate Leeds. 

The majority of the embroideries featured in this panel were meticulously created using counted thread techniques, a precise method that involves drawing the designs on graph paper before carefully transferring them onto fabric. This detailed process proved to be quite labor-intensive and time consuming, requiring immense patience and dedication from everyone involved. As a result, the creation of this elaborate panel spanned approximately eight years from start to finish. 

To showcase the changing beauty of Leeds throughout the year, the panel was thoughtfully divided into four broad sections, each representing a different season. The lowest quarter displays spring, with a central depiction of Kirkstall Abbey surrounded by blooming daffodils. This section was crafted by volunteer Maureen Hinds using intricate blackwork and hand embroidery. Flanking the Abbey, smaller embroideries illustrate other local sites adorned with spring flowers. The bottom left corner portrays the Harewood Arms pub, stitched in the refined petit point style, while just above it, volunteer Elizabeth Bidgood captured her own garden in a vibrant embroidery, employing techniques such as cross stitch, french knots, and satin stitch to depict a beautiful blossom tree and a variety of flowers. 

Moving up, the summer section features the Queen’s Hotel and City Square at its center, with summer flowers hanging in the square. Volunteer Val Lloyd sketched the design, and Audrey Gabbitas completed the blackwork stitching. To the left is Bretherick’s Florist, crafted by shop owner Kathleen Bretherick and her staff, while to the right, Ainsley’s Bakery stands with a member of the Ainsley family outside, a nod to the bakery’s longstanding history in Leeds. 

The autumn quarter highlights the Tropical House and Rose Garden at Roundhay Park, completed with blackwork and cross stitch. On the left, gardening presenter Joe Maiden appears at Golden Acre Park—his image was transferred from a magazine and printed onto fabric. To the right, the Oakwood Clock stands among striking autumn trees, symbolizing both change and continuity in Leeds’ landscape. 

The top quarter represents winter, focusing on Harewood House, which was stitched by Lady Harewood herself. Her leadership influenced the winter section’s design, which exclusively features scenes from the Harewood estate, including the stables and a tranquil country lane framed by wintry trees. 

Finally, the panel’s borders are adorned with a remarkable array of embroidered leaves, each created by different volunteers. Some leaves were made using needle-weaving techniques over wire, while others involved hand or machine stitching on fabric. Ferns were especially unique, with their outlines burned away from the background using a soldering iron—an innovative touch that highlights the panel’s artistic diversity and the collaborative spirit of the volunteers who brought ‘Leeds in Bloom’ to life.