RHS Badminton Flower Show

It may have been the middle of a heatwave, but that didn’t stop crowds of people attending the RHS’s new flower show at Badminton. This large country estate in South Gloucestershire is famous for its horse trials, but its grounds were filled this time with show gardens, trade stands and some fabulous florals.

Floral Horse Jumps

In recognition of Badminton’s equine credentials, the floristry students at City of Bristol College had lavishly decorated five full size horse jumps. These were used as a metaphor for their ‘leap of faith’ in pursuing a new career in floristry. Each jump represented a different floral style - a pedestal, a broken arch, a cascade - and were all created sustainably using chicken wire and moss.

Where the Wildflowers Gather

Acacia Creative Studios are well-known for creating thoughtful, immersive installations, such as their recent Chelsea exhibit; Chlorophyll: The Colour of Life. At Badminton, they took the natural beauty of the Cotswolds as their inspiration, designing a wildflower meadow created by layering British grown flowers and greenery in soft blush tones that rose and fell like a wave.

RHS Letters

The giant RHS letters are a regular feature at every show, and Badminton was no different. Designed by Millie Richardson in partnership with the best-selling children’s books Brambly Hedge, many planted elements of these iconic letters were repurposed from Millie’s Bullring Gate installation at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show. This provided not just a visual link between the two shows but also ensured that the plant material didn’t go to waste.

Houseplant Terrariums

Far happier to be exposed to the heat were the inhabitants of the Houseplant Terrariums. These four expertly staged circular gazebos each had an individual, stylish take on the joys of indoor gardening.

Gold and Best Houseplant Terrarium

L’Amour Vert Plants by There

Inspired by Moulin Rouge the Musical, this was a luscious collection of red, gold and green, using houseplants to bring to life the Bohemian lifestyle with sumptuous leafy palms, Anthuriums and enough props to truly set the stage.

Gold

Girlypop Biosphere Plant Studio

Fun, playful and bold, encouraging visitors to approach their houseplant selection with a sense of joy and experimentation, there were some fabulous kitsch elements proving that houseplants can, in their words, be loud and proud.

Silver-gilt

This Terrarium May Include Joy Hugo and Green

Exploring what it means to turn towards joy, the inspiration for the design came from heliotropism, the way that plants orientate themselves towards the sun. Colourful contrasts and uncomplicated planting were the underlying trends.

Silver-gilt

Re-create yourself with Houseplants Plantaminta

A place of reinvention and optimism, bringing together many dramatic plant species native to South America, reflecting the designer Liuva Chacon’s journey from her native country to the UK to start a new life, pursuing her love of plants.

---

Su Whale is a florist and freelance writer with over Thirty years' experience in the floristry industry. She is the author and publisher of three best-selling books: Cut Flowers, 4th edition (2020) Cut Foliage, 2nd Edition, (2021) and Houseplants (2019), all bookshelf essentials for the professional florist.