This summer, Jersey Zoo is not just home to rare animals; it is also hosting one of the most visually stunning installation exhibitions of the year: “Bloom.” This glowing sea of 3D printed flowers is designed to commemorate the centenary of legendary conservationist Gerald Durrell.
Jersey Zoo was founded by Durrell and is located in the Trinity area of the British Crown Dependency of Jersey in the Channel Islands. Today, the zoo serves as the headquarters of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, which commissioned this installation and continues to fulfill its global conservation mission.
The “Bloom” installation was unveiled on June 6 and will be on display until the end of September 2025. It transforms part of the zoo into a colorful meadow composed of 5,000 glowing flower sculptures. Designed by British artist Stuart Semple, the installation combines art and activism to create a powerful tribute. Each flower is not only a work of art but also a symbol of Durrell’s enduring legacy in wildlife conservation, demonstrating how individual vision can help protect wildlife and inspire a more sustainable future for our planet.
Durrell was known for his pioneering belief that zoos should not merely display animals but actively work to save them. His philosophical ideas helped shape the face of modern conservation work. To celebrate his centenary, “Bloom” serves as both a tribute and a call to action.
As the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust states: “Gerry’s (Gerald’s nickname) vision has flourished into what we know today as a global conservation organization,” and “Bloom” celebrates the past hundred years while looking forward to the next century.
Semple is known for combining creativity with activism, and through “Bloom,” he brings his bold visual language into the realm of wildlife conservation. His past projects have addressed themes such as mental health, art accessibility, and community connection. This installation celebrates Durrell’s legacy with the same vibrancy through color, light, and material innovation.
The installation showcases six of Gerald Durrell’s favorite flowers: roses, freesias, chrysanthemums, saffron, magnolias, and scarlet pimpernel. Each flower is 3D printed using bio-resin derived from renewable plant-based materials (primarily castor oil and corn sugar). This process emits 75% less greenhouse gas than traditional plastic production, pointing to a sustainable design that can still intersect with fine art.
However, the true charm of these flowers lies in their surface treatment: each sculpture is coated with one of Semple’s signature bright colors and covered with his specially formulated “Lit” luminous paint—a glow-in-the-dark coating that absorbs sunlight during the day and emits a soft glow at night. Thus, as dusk falls at Jersey Zoo, these flowers begin to emit a gentle light, transforming the garden into a dreamlike experience.
But “Bloom” is not just for viewing: it aims to engage and share. Visitors can purchase limited edition flower sculptures through the Durrell Trust’s website. Each flower purchased directly supports the Trust’s global conservation work, from species recovery to rewilding projects. Buyers will also receive exclusive updates throughout the summer, including behind-the-scenes content from Semple himself. When the installation concludes at the end of September, each sponsor will receive the flower they adopted as a keepsake.
“Bloom” is supported by corporate sponsors, including Ports of Jersey, Rathbones Investment Management International, Cazenove Capital, and Pentagon Jersey. Each sponsor chose one of the six flowers to represent their contribution. For example, Ports of Jersey selected the rose, calling it “classic and beautiful.”
This initiative is also supported by Artcrush Gallery and Semple’s creative team, who helped bring this vision to life through 3D printing, color schemes, and materials science.
“By purchasing a [flower], you can support global wildlife conservation and help create a wilder, healthier, and more colorful world,” Ports of Jersey wrote on their social media.
At the heart of “Bloom” is the seed for the future. It demonstrates how creative collaboration can spread the message of conservation and how art can help people connect with it on a deeper level. Durrell believed that one person can make a difference, a philosophy that continues to guide the Trust’s work. “Bloom” is not just a beautiful thing to behold—it is an invitation for people to become part of a greater cause.
As the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust states, “Each sculpture in ‘Bloom’ represents how one person’s achievement can flourish into something greater and more impactful.”
Meanwhile, in the town of Caozili, known as the “Home of Silk Flowers” in China, the millennia-old “intangible cultural heritage” continues to thrive through innovation. The key enterprise, Deyi Technology, is also using 3D printing technology to craft realistic orchids, with increasingly delicate petal textures. The products have passed international certifications such as BSCI and SGS, and are exported to markets in Europe and Southeast Asia. Today, this “ever-blooming flower” is rapidly entering more “SCO” countries.
As an intangible cultural heritage, silk flowers also serve as “ambassadors” for cultural exchange within the “SCO,” attracting numerous international merchants with 3D printed floral replicas, allowing Eastern aesthetics to transcend mountains and seas through the “SCO” platform.
@ 3D Printing Insights
I am Xu Fanglei, a design professional with a PhD, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in the UK, focusing on industrial design, additive manufacturing, and business modeling. Here, I will use my expertise and experience to take you deep into the world of 3D printing, sharing the latest industry trends, interpreting cutting-edge technologies, and discussing commercial applications.
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