SCULPTURES of giant floating coloured lily pads will form a new feature in the lake at the award-winning Himalayan Garden and Sculpture Park at Grewelthorpe, near Masham.

Each pad will be a different colour to represent a flower or leaf found at the gardens in red, orange, yellow and pink.

They will be constructed like a boat, with a submerged weighted keel to prevent them being blown over in a high wind and will be made from stainless steel covered with a fibreglass skin.

The installation is being created by the multi-award winning sculptor and designer Rebecca Newnham, who has an interest in kinetic sculpture which interacts with the environment.

She has two other floating installations at the garden – The Wave and Magnolia – among the 60-strong permanent sculpture collection.

The gardens have one of the North’s largest collections of rhododendrons, azaleas and magnolias included in its collection of nearly 20,000 plants. It has 1,400 varieties of rhododendron, 250 different types of azalea and 150 different magnolias set within a valley and woodland walk.

There is an information centre, tea room and children’s playground and plant nursery. This year the gardens will be open from Tuesdays to Sundays and on bank holidays from March 30 to July 1.