Wilted and dried flowers and plants at the entrance to capital city Valletta will be replaced this week, according to Valletta Cultural Agency chairman Jason Micallef. 

The planters opposite the Parliament building, were first placed as a temporary installation for the Valletta Green Festival, but back in May the decision was taken to make them permanent. 

Plants in front of Parliament, Valletta, looking dry and wilted Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

But in recent days, flowers and plants in the wooden planters placed in the Renzo Piano-designed parliament square looked wilted and dry.

Plants 'not dead' - Jason Micallef

When contacted by Times of Malta, Micallef insisted no plants were dead but said that some would be replaced this week, in line with the terms of a maintenance agreement. 

Micallef said this was "normal practice" and blamed recent high temperatures for the sorry state of the plants. 

“The unusual, long heatwave has not made it easy to say the least to maintain the flower beds in planters in perfect conditions,” he said. 

Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

When asked how often the planters are maintained, he said that maintenance is ongoing, with more booked for this week. 

The planters were last in the news last month, when activists with activist group  Occupy Justice placed placards in front of them during a protest.

Some of the slogans had read Grazzi Sur Jason Micallef, ħloqtilna spazju biex inwaslu leħinna (Thank you Jason Micallef, you gave us a space to make our voice heard) and Fil-Parlament ma jikbrux fjuri, imma ħdura hawn kemm trid (No flowers grow in parliament, but there is bile aplenty).

Micallef had described the action as “an act of vandalism” which he would report to the police.