Almost 200 entries have been received for this year’s Floral Trail design competition and the organisers, Nottingham City Council’s Nottingham in Bloom team and the Nottingham Business Improvement District (BID), have shortlisted seven of the designs: a radio, a camera, a paintbrush, a teddy bear, theatre masks, headphones and sunglasses.

Members of the public are now being asked to ‘like’ their favourite designs on the It’s In Nottingham Facebook page before the judging panel make their final choice of two winning designs.

The Floral Trail has been a key part of the city’s summer landscape for the past four years, with eye-catching planters which contain imaginatively designed wicker sculptures and floral arrangements dotted around the city.

The company who create the wicker sculptures, Topiary Art Designs, have produced artist’s impressions of the shortlisted entries. These, along with the original entry designs, can be viewed on the Nottingham BID’s ‘It’s In Nottingham’ Facebook page.

Each wicker sculpture on the Floral Trail represents an item that can be bought in the city centre or how people can enjoy themselves in Nottingham. The 14-strong trail currently features: a handbag, a shoe, a perfume bottle, a jacket, a dress, a hat, a ring, a teapot, a chair, a champagne bottle, a guitar & treble clef, a coffee cup and last year’s competition winners, a cupcake and an ice-skate.

Councillor Dave Trimble, Nottingham City Council’s Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, said: “The floral trail is a great part of summer in the city and we are delighted that two new sculptures will join the collection this year.  It’s brilliant to see that the competition entrants have been really imaginative, so the shortlist represents a wide range of the shopping and leisure opportunities available in Nottingham.”

Neil Fincham, a director of the Nottingham BID, said: “We are delighted with the number of entries we have received and we really want people to now ‘like’ their favourite designs. We can’t wait to see the winning designs being transformed into the wicker sculptures and becoming part of the Floral Trail.”

To ‘like’ your favourite shortlisted entry, go to the It’s In Nottingham Facebook page here: www.facebook.com/itsinnottingham. More information about this year’s Floral Trail competition can be found on the Nottingham In Bloom website: www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/bloom .

The winning sculptures will be announced on 23 March and the Floral Trail will be installed in the city in June.