Schoolgirl’s Winning Flag Design Unveiled at Springfields Festival Gardens

Local pupil Gasmin’s flower-filled design takes pride of place as Springfields  Horticultural Society celebrates 60 years of these beloved gardens 

Springfields Horticultural Society is celebrating its 60th anniversary. For six decades,  the charity has owned, managed, and maintained the fabulous Festival Gardens — and  what better way to mark this special year than by inviting the next generation of  creative talent to help them celebrate. 

Earlier this year, the charity opened their flag design competition to local primary and  secondary school-aged students, challenging them to let their creativity bloom and  design a flag that truly represents the beloved gardens. The winning design has not  only been manufactured as an official flag to fly at Springfields throughout 2026 but will also come to life as a spectacular living flower display within the gardens. 

The winning entry came from Gasmin, a local schoolchild whose design moved the  judges not only with its visual beauty, but with its warmth and sense of community.  Her wonderful variety of flowers captured the heart and character of these gardens,  and her bold composition and striking use of colour made her design truly stand out. 

The competition proved a wonderful celebration of community spirit, and to see a local  child’s creativity brought to life in such a visible and lasting way is something very  special indeed. Gasmin’s flag will fly at Springfields all year long — a permanent and  proud tribute to her talent and imagination. 

“It has been an absolute joy to see so many young people from our  community engage with these gardens through their artwork.  Gasmin’s design is truly stunning — it captures everything that makes  Springfields so special. Knowing that her flag will fly here throughout  2026, and that her flowers will bloom as a living display, is incredibly  exciting. This is exactly the kind of connection between young people  and our green spaces that we hoped to inspire.” 

— Becky Kirtland, Education and Outreach Co-ordinator, Springfields  Horticultural Society 

“As we celebrate 60 years of Springfields Horticultural Society, this  competition felt like the perfect way to honour our past while  embracing the future. Gasmin’s design is a testament to the  extraordinary talent that exists right here in our community. To see her  creativity brought to life in such a visible and lasting way — both as a  flag flying above our gardens and as a living floral display — is  something very special indeed. We are so proud of her, and of every  child who took part.”

— Marion Durose, CEO, Springfields Horticultural Society 

Springfields Gardens extends its warmest congratulations to Gasmin, and sincere  thanks to all of the children who entered the competition. Every entry was a reflection  of the creativity and community pride that makes Springfields such a cherished place.