It promises a ‘calm’ moment to connect with natureBroad Meadow last year(Image: Paul Blakemore)

A peaceful pocket of nature will transform Bristol’s Broadmead shopping district as a three-year project begins.

As a free art installation arrives this summer, passers-by will be treated to an immersive audio experience and the delicious aromas of flowers and plants, providing a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of the city centre.

Created by artists Sylvia Rimat and Charlie Clark, Broad Meadow is described as a unique project that invites visitors to step into a vibrant wildflower meadow, reconnect with the natural history of the area and reflect on their relationship with the plant world.

“It’s a very personal guide, you are invited to touch plants or the soil or smell a plant,” the artists explain in a video released ahead of the installation. They add: “The work is also about micro organisms and how we are all connected, and about us being communities rather than individuals.”

With wildflower boxes, personal audio guides and free family-friendly activities, Broad Meadow is designed to offer a moment of calm and connection in the heart of the city. It will launch on Saturday, June 7 and will be left to grow over the next three years.

A spokesperson for the project said: “Broad Meadow invites you to step back in time and imagine the natural landscape that once flourished in Broadmead. Visitors are welcome to sit among vibrant wildflowers, breathe in the floral scents, and listen to a specially created audio piece that explores our deep-rooted connection with the plant world.”

After a successful opening as part of Mayfest last year, Bristol City Council and WECA have commissioned the installation in three locations – Broadmead West outside The Arcade, Merchant Street South (near the corner of Philadelphia Street), and Merchant Street North near TK Maxx.

Visitors will be able to listen to an audio that reminds them of Bristol prior to the 1400s, when Broadmead was a meadow, regularly flooded by the river Frome. It will be open 24 hours through to 2028, and visitors are encouraged to bring a pair of headphones to listen to the full sound experience.

Last year Broad Meadow was made up of 55 wildflower boxes to create a colourful ‘meadow’ amid the hubbub of Bristol’s shopping quarter, covering roughly eight by 12 metres in total. It left many visitors inspired, with one visitor sharing on the video: “I find it completely absorbing. It was really poetic and profound.”

Plants were carefully selected to mimic the meadow that may have once existed in bustling Broadmead, Bristol Live previously reported. The installation has been supported by Broadmead BID, MAYK and Festival of Nature.

On the launch day, June 7, free family workshops will be held from 2-5pm offering fun arts and crafts activities outside the Arcade, suitable for children aged three-10. The official launch will be that evening from 6-8pm, with a welcome talk at John Wesley’s New Room courtyard.