A GARDENING enthusiast who built a 26ft tall flower tower in front of his house will hold an open day next month to sell flower pots from it and raise funds for the British Heart Foundation.

Edward Hayes, aged 72, of Gibbs Road, Beechwood, Newport, showed off his impressive tower creation to the Argus last year. The structure took three months to complete and is made of six steel sections, welded together and made from recycled old office desks.

Mr Hayes says the pots are now in full bloom and ready to be sold from his home on July 4-5.

“The tower is now full with over 100 pots and there are also over 100 pots on the drive,” Mr Hayes said.

“People can come and choose from the tower or the drive and if they don’t want to they can still take pictures and make a donation to BHF.”

Mr Hayes hopes to sell more than 150 of them throughout the course of the weekend sale, in the hope of raising £3,000 for BHF – a charity that helped him following his own heart surgery.

“I decided not to sell the tower as I built it as an amateur and couldn’t sell it in case it collapses,” he told the Argus.

“The pots on the tower are absolutely gorgeous and I will be selling a fully planted pot for £20 with all proceeds going to the British Heart Foundation.”

About 16ft of the tower, which is at the end of Mr Hayes’ drive, can be seen from the road and turned a few heads when it was covered with lights at Christmas time.

Mr Hayes said: “I had a triple bypass nearly eight years ago and I feel fantastic.

“I really believe in what the BHF are doing and I hope, with the help of the Argus, that we can get people from all over to take come and take a look at the tower.”

Mr Hayes, whose main job is buying and selling office furniture, has sold his first pot to his son.

If you are interested in buying a plant pot, visit the sale on July 4-5, from 10am-6pm, or contact Mr Hayes on 01633 664308.