Stonehenge dahlia sculptures recreate Victorian shows

More than 5,000 dahlias have been put on display to pay homage to floral shows held nearly 180 years ago.

English Heritage is hosting the Grand Dahlia Show at Stonehenge this weekend, recreating the historic floristry events which began in Wiltshire in the 1840s.

Florists have created intricate 3D sculptures made from different dahlia varieties, to represent what visitors would once have worn to attend the event.

Local members of the National Dahlia Society will also showcase their blooms in a traditional flower show.

The sculptures were crafted by local groups and floral artists

This year's spectacle will include floral artistry alongside Victorian fashion, recreating the atmosphere of a grand day out.

Emily Parker, English Heritage landscape historian, said: "People have been visiting Stonehenge for centuries, for all sorts of reasons.

"A flower festival might be one of the more unexpected things to draw people to the ancient monument but, in their day, these dahlia shows would have been really spectacular."

Dahlias reached the peak of their popularity in the early Victorian years after their introduction to the UK from their native Mexico via Europe in 1798.

Visitors can pose for photos in a Victorian skirt made of dahlias

"To see them make a comeback after all this time is so exciting," Ms Parker continued.

"It offers us a unique opportunity for us to step back in time to the Victorian elegance and grandeur of the 1840s.”

Emily Parker said the sculptures require "patience and incredible craftmanship"