On behalf of Italian clockmakers Trebino, Tim Spooner and the Friends of Greenhill Gardens presents a clock dial to the Mayor of Weymouth Cllr Caroline Nickinson.
In the winter months, this 5-foot 6-inch steel dial will replace the summer planting in the centre of the Greenhill Gardens floral clock. Together with a new set of hands to be made by The Friends, the floral clock will continue show the time and the cuckoo will call the hours and quarters even when the beautiful summer carpet bedding display is over.
Signor Giorgio Trebino who gave this gift is the head of a 200 year old family-run company based in northern Italy. They make church clocks, street clocks, floral clocks and bell ringing controls. Their prestigious products have been chosen for the Vatican, the Quirinale presidential palace, as well as many churches and public buildings around the world. Following the restoration of the floral clock, visitors to Greenhill Gardens have frequently asked if the clock could continue to work throughout the year. Previously, when the flowers were dug up, the hands were removed and the clock stopped. The Friends of Greenhill Gardens, together with the gardens team, came up with a solution. A large diameter clock dial could be placed on the ground during winter, taking the place of the floral summer numerals. The Friends will also make a smaller set of winter hands that will be used instead of the large hands that contain the summer plants.
Without requiring extra carpet bedding planting or maintenance, the clock will look attractive, and the working clock and cuckoo will delight visitors during the duller months of the year.
A dial of the right size is not something that is found easily. After some months of search, the Italian firm of Trebino offered to donate a dial to Weymouth. The 5ft 6inch dial had previously been destined for use in a seaside town of Marina di Massa, close by the Carrara quarries where Michelangelo selected the marble for his sculptures.
One of the FOGG trustees, spends a few months each year in Italy in the small town of Uscio in the hills above the Ligurian coast. Having visited their wonderful clock museum, Tim explained our floral clock project, and Signor Trebino very generously agreed to help.