POPPIES

Wizard of Oz: "And now my beauties, .... attractive to the eye and soothing to the smell... poppies, poppies, poppies will put them to sleep."

The display at the Tower has nearly 30,000 of the original poppies, made for the 2014 installation, "Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red", is now at the Tower from 5/6 (to coincide with the 80th anniversary of VE Day and 8/15 VJ Day) until 11/11r, culminating in a moment of remembrance for Armistice Day.

It marks the sacrifices made by so many during the Second World War. The specially commissioned installation resembles a "wound" at the heart of the Tower, which was itself bombed during the Blitz. Poppies pour across the lawn overlooked by the ancient White Tower, where the blood-red flowers form a crater, with ripples flowing outwards reminding us of loss through war, and of the long-lasting impact of conflict. The poppies are on loan from Imperial War Museums and were designed and made by the artist, Paul Cummins.Read more