3D Printed Flowers Light Up Jersey Zoo in Tribute to Conservation Pioneer Gerald Durrell

This summer, Jersey Zoo is home to more than just rare animals; it’s also hosting one of the most visually stunning installations this year: Bloom. This glowing field of 3D printed flowers was created to honor the 100th birthday of legendary conservationist Gerald Durrell.

Founded by Durrell, Jersey Zoo is located in Trinity on the island of Jersey, a British Crown Dependency in the Channel Islands. Today, it serves as the headquarters of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, the organization that commissioned the installation and continues to carry out its global conservation mission.

Unveiled on June 6 and on display until the end of September 2025, Bloom transforms a section of the zoo into a colorful meadow made up of 5,000 glow-in-the-dark flower sculptures. Designed by British artist Stuart Semple, the installation blends art and activism in a powerful tribute. Each flower is not only a piece of art but a symbol of Durrell’s lasting legacy in wildlife conservation and a testament to how one person’s vision can help protect wildlife and inspire a more sustainable future for our planet.

Durrell is known for his pioneering belief that zoos should not just display animals but actively work to save them. His philosophy helped shape what modern conservation looks like today. In celebration of his 100th birthday, Bloom is both a tribute and a call to action.

As the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust puts it, “Gerry’s ideas have blossomed into the global conservation organisation we know today,” and Bloom “celebrates both the past 100 years and looks ahead to the next 100.”

Semple, known for blending creativity with activism, brings his bold visual language to the world of wildlife conservation with Bloom. His past projects have tackled themes like mental health, access to art, and community connection. This installation brings that same energy to celebrating Durrell’s legacy through color, light, and material innovation.

The installation features six of Gerald Durrell’s favorite flowers: roses, freesias, chrysanthemums, crocuses, pink magnolias, and the scarlet pimpernel. Each flower is 3D printed using bioresin derived from renewable plant-based materials, primarily castor oil and corn sugar. The process emits up to 75% less greenhouse gas than traditional plastic production, pointing to a sustainable design that can still intersect with fine art.

What makes these flowers truly fascinating, though, is their finish: each sculpture is painted in one of Semple’s signature bright hues and coated in his specially formulated “Lit” pigment—a glow-in-the-dark paint that absorbs sunlight during the day and emits a gentle glow by night. So, as twilight sets in at Jersey Zoo, the flowers begin to emit a soft light, turning the garden into a dreamlike experience.

But Bloom isn’t just meant to be looked at: it’s designed to be experienced and shared. Visitors can purchase a limited-edition flower sculpture of their own through Durrell’s website. Each flower purchase directly supports the Trust’s global conservation efforts, from species recovery to rewilding projects. Buyers will also receive exclusive updates throughout the summer, including behind-the-scenes content from Semple himself. And when the installation concludes at the end of September, each sponsor will receive their flower to keep.

Bloom has been made possible with the support of corporate sponsors, including Ports of Jersey, Rathbones Investment Management International, Cazenove Capital, and Pentagon Jersey. Each sponsor chose one of the six flower types to represent their contribution. Ports of Jersey, for instance, selected the rose, calling it “classic and beautiful.”

The initiative has also been supported by Artcrush Gallery and Semple’s creative team, who helped bring the vision to life through 3D printing, color formulation, and material science.

“By purchasing one [flower], you can support global wildlife conservation and help create a wilder, healthier, and more colourful world,” wrote Ports of Jersey in its social media.

At its core, Bloom is about planting seeds for the future. It shows how working together creatively 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, and that idea continues to guide the Trust’s work today. Bloom isn’t just something beautiful to look at—it’s an invitation to be part of something bigger.

​​As the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust says, each sculpture in Bloom represents “how one person’s achievements can flourish into something far greater and wide-reaching.”

How to Visit or Support: Bloom runs from June 6 through September 30, 2025, at Jersey Zoo. You can buy your own flower sculpture or explore sponsorship options here.