MORE flowers are brightening up Worcester's city centre after the number of planters decorating the streets was nearly doubled this year.

There are 46 three-tier planters each displaying a six foot mass of purple, lilac and white flowers across the centre of Worcester.

The planters are in Worcester for the second year running thanks to Worcester BID, an organisation that promotes the city centre.

Adrian Field, head of Worcester BID, said that the decision to increase the number of planters from 26 last year was based on the supportive feedback received on last year's display from visitors and traders.

This year, a wider area of the city has also been covered by the floral display.

Mr Field said: “We were really pleased with the displays last year and we got really positive feedback from businesses, so once we got approval to site planters in more areas, some of which are outside listed buildings and in conservation areas, we decided to double the order.

“We are a tourist city so it’s not just about the High Street for us, we wanted to provide displays for people as they make their way around so now everywhere you turn, there is a planter there.

“We have enjoyed deciding where to place the planters and we’re happy with the colour scheme which reflects the BID colours and which is a bit different and, I think, a bit classy.

"We placed our order late last year so didn’t see the plants reach their full potential, so I’m looking forward to seeing how big the displays get when we have had them for the full summer.”

The extra planters have been placed in locations including outside Worcestershire County Cricket Club’s New Road ground, in picturesque New Street and alongside the River Severn.

Flowers in the planters include purple zonal geraniums and white begonia nonstop, with pink verbena, purple surfinia and white trailing ivy leaf geraniums spilling over the side.

The planters have been supplied by Plantscape, which prepared and grew them at its greenhouses in Ashbourne, Derbyshire, and will also water and maintain them through the summer.