Poppy field could be living memorial to commemorate the Great War
26/02/13
The Lord Provost of Aberdeen George Adam has asked council officers to investigate the possibility of planting a poppy field in the city to commemorate the centenary of the World War One.
The wildflower meadow would be a place for quiet reflection as well as a haven for biodiversity. The Lord Provost hopes that younger generations of Aberdonians will work with the city's veterans groups to plant the field which would develop over the five years of the anniversary, 2014-2018, and beyond.
The Lord Provost, Councillor George Adam said: "The poppy is a symbol of remembrance which everyone recognises. The last veterans of the Great War have passed on, but their sacrifices must never be forgotten. This would be a peaceful, living memorial to those who lost their lives in a horrific war."
Poppies were one of the few species of plants to thrive in war-ravaged battlefields and inspired the poem "In Flanders Fields" by John McCrae which inspired the Lord Provost's suggestion.
One area being considered for the Field of Remembrance is Hazlehead Park where work has began on a bid for the area to become Scotland's first climate change park.