Liverpool City Council and the George Harrison Estate have announced plans to erect a memorial woodland in Liverpool to honor the late Beatle. The news comes on what would have been Harrison's 77th birthday today.

According to Culture Liverpool, the 12-acre Greenland site, located in the south of Liverpool near where Harrison was born and raised, is a mature woodland across from Allerton Towers. The organizers are now in the process of commissioning "a number of pieces initially with a view to adding more works in the coming years."

The site is scheduled to open in March or April 2021, after an eight-month period of creation and installation. Up to 10 artists will be hired to develop ideas for the memorial. Organizers are now accepting proposals from the public.

"The city council and the Harrison family want to encourage artists to design new artworks which will take pride of place in the garden," they said. "As such, we are currently looking for expressions of interest from artists, musicians, collectives, technologists and groups interested in creating a sculpture or installation as part of a new woodland celebrating the life of George Harrison."

The woodland area will include installations inspired by Harrison's life and music. Organizers said they're open to any sort of artwork, as long as it "is inspired by the work or life of George Harrison; is suitable to be installed outdoor, within a woodland environment; has minimal maintenance costs or requirements; and works alongside and supports the natural environment it will be positioned within, some areas of which are an official nature reserve."

More information on submitting works can be found on the Culture Liverpool site.

Harrison died on Nov. 29, 2001, at the age of 58 from lung cancer. Following the breakup of the Beatles in 1970, he spent much time in the 36-acre garden of his English manor in Henley-on-Thames. He even dedicated his 1980 memoir, I, Me, Mine, "to gardeners everywhere."

“George was an avid gardener who found solace and joy in being in the outdoors," his widow Olivia noted (via NME). "I don’t think there is any better way to commemorate him in Liverpool than with a garden which can become a place of tranquility and reflection for everyone. ... I am really looking forward to watching it change and grow over the coming years.”

 

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