The fabulous Garden Museum, based next to Lambeth Palace on the banks of the River Thames in London, will play host to some amazing floral installations between 9 - 13th June as the museum partners with New Covent Garden Flower Market, founders of British Flowers Week, to present the 2022 showcase of British flowers.
Now in its 6th year, the event has featured some of the top names in the flower industry and this year is no exception. Working to the theme 'The Future' the five florists will create original large-scale, site-specific floral sculptures inside the Garden Museum’s historic Grade 2* listed building and between them explore sustainability, the future of floristry and its impact on the environment, and the intersection of nature, humans and technology.
You can read all about the event in our news story or visit the Garden Museum website for ticket booking.
Here we meet the five designers who will transform the Museum into a floral fantasy land.
Frida Kim
Frida Kim’s ethereal arrangements are underpinned by a reverence for nature that began in her earliest years, which were spent growing up surrounded by the unspoilt beauty of the Korean countryside. Whether a sculptural installation or a small arrangement, Frida approaches each task with the same intention: to make art that touches people and tells a story.
Frida’s work has an air of refinement that belies layers of complexity. Seasonality and sustainability play an important part in her creations which combine Eastern and Western sensibilities to convey a strong visual message using the most delicate fresh and dried materials.
Harriet Parry
Combining her love of flowers and nature, with her background in Fine Art, Harriet Parry produces playful pieces conceived as works of art.
Harriet works with flowers across various artistic disciplines. Paying close attention to detail, colour, texture, and composition, with a touch of the unexpected. Referencing both contemporary and historical art, fashion, and film, she seamlessly unites these with the world of floral design. This approach is particularly evident in her series “Flower Interpretations”.
Harriet’s designs ask people to pause. Study them. To share in the wonder of nature, and to ultimately create, just for a moment, a sense of stillness in our fast-paced world.
Kate Wren Flowers
Kate Wren Flowers was founded by Kate Kashiri. Growing up in the vibrant heat of Zimbabwe, the garden was her happy place. Filled with marigolds and wild foliage, Kate loved spending time outside among the flowers.
After working in finance for several years Kate decided to take a plunge and follow her heart, beginning her floral journey in 2018. Working with flowers is a way for her to connect with nature. Kate loves designing but most importantly loves seeing the joy on clients faces when the final look is achieved.
McQueens Flowers
McQueens Flowers is one of the world’s most admired luxury floral design brands, with a reputation for creating memorable floral designs in 5-Star hotels such as Claridge’s in London and The Peninsula in New York, and for events such as Vanity Fair’s Oscars After Party in Beverly Hills and The Evening Standard Theatre Awards in London.
Central to the brand’s success and reputation is its world-famous flower school, which establishes a platform for forward-thinking creative exploration and the championing of sustainable floristry techniques – not just for its employees but for current and future generations of talented florists across the world. This year’s installation at the Garden Museum will be led by The McQueens Flower School tutors.
Wagner Kreusch
London based, Brazilian born Wagner is best known for his teaching skills and his graphic and sculptural work highly inspired by contemporary Ikebana. In 2017 he co-founded the London Flower School, now renowned for pushing boundaries of education in the flower industry. As LFS Co-founder and Creative Director, Wagner’s focus was to bring awareness to floristry as an art form and to use his voice as a teacher to serve the industry that he is so passionate about.
In the last year Wagner took the opportunity to be fully immersed in the garden, embarking on a new journey to develop his art practice promoting the profession of floristry in the hope that more people can experience its powerful healing qualities as well as highlighting awareness of the fragility of our natural environments.
