A new nature mural brightens Morely Court

Plymouth has quietly built up a decent collection of street art over the years, and the latest addition is one you'll walk past without thinking twice unless you know what you're looking for. A new nature-themed mural went up on Morely Court in the city centre, commissioned by Plymouth Community Homes (PCH) as a deliberate alternative to the graffiti that had been appearing on the wall. Bude-based artist Jordan Lauder, who goes by the name SpraySaint and originally comes from Essex, painted the piece over the course of three and a half days.

The subject matter is easy to take in: a large stag takes centre stage, surrounded by rabbits, a squirrel, butterflies and a fox, all set against a forest background. It's the kind of thing that works as well for a passing glance as it does for a proper look, and residents have been taking it in stride, with people stopping to take photos at the nearby bus stop. Sarah Chidgey, a housing officer at PCH, put it plainly: the wall had become a magnet for tagging, and the idea was to replace a dark, tagged wall with something vibrant and nature-filled. It's a simple enough plan, but it's a common one in cities that would rather fill their blank walls with something intentional than leave them to the taggers.

For Lauder, it's not the first time he's been brought in for a job like this. A couple of years ago, he was commissioned by The Lady Eve Vintage shop in Helston to paint a mural that captured the spirit of Flora Day, again as a way of fighting back against graffiti on the building. It's a small part of a wider trend of using public art to brighten up the urban environment, and in Plymouth, this latest piece slots into a growing collection of work by both local and international artists. The city's street art is often described as a free, open-air gallery for all ages, which is a fair way to put it: there's no ticket, no opening hours, and you can take it in at your own pace.

Morely Court itself has a bit of character beyond the mural. A bespoke metal replica of Smeaton's Tower stands outside the development, created and donated by ARC Metalcraft, so the new artwork adds another layer to a spot that already has a couple of nods to the city's maritime history. PCH, the landlord behind the commission, is Plymouth's largest social housing provider, with more than 16,000 homes and over 35,000 people living across its properties, so a small project like this is a visible part of how they manage the buildings they look after.

Whether you're a fan of street art or just someone who appreciates a bit of colour on a grey wall, it's worth a look next time you're passing through the centre. It's a reminder that the city's walls are changing, one mural at a time, and that a bit of paint can go a long way in turning a neglected wall into something people actually stop to look at. And because it's free and out in the open, it's an easy thing to build into a walk around town.