RHS Malvern Spring Festival - Fabulous Floral Tablescapes
- Su Whale
- 21 hours ago
- 2 min read
When is a shed not a shed? When it is overflowing with flowers, foliage and seasonal botanicals such as those on display at the RHS Malvern Spring Festival. The Floral Tablescaping competition was the show’s first foray into exhibiting professional floristry and the five competitors selected rose magnificently to the occasion.
Gold & Best in Show
‘At the Threshold: The Garden Comes to the Table’
Ashley Edwards Ashtree Floral Designs
Congratulations to Birmingham florist Ashley Edwards who scooped the only gold medal and Best in Show for her beautifully crafted, very personal design.
Inspired by her recent move into a property and the anticipation of what would emerge from the garden come the spring, Ashley’s tablescape was filled with flowers and plants that bridge the cusp between spring and summer. Anemone, Ranunculus, Allium and Geum were among her floral choices, all supplied by local growers based in the Midlands. Combined with these were living bulbs, hostas and grasses, nestled into a ‘tablecloth’ of moss.
Linking the design together, while also inviting the viewers’ eyes to move from one area to the next, was a root system made from Midelino sticks and aluminium wire painstakingly wrapped in raffia, giving an indication of the dedication and time spent in creating this award winning display.
Join Su Whale from the Interflora Floristry Trade Club as she brings you behind the scenes at the RHS Malvern Spring Festival, uncovering a Gold Medal & Best in Show winning floral tablescape. In this exclusive interview, Ashley Edwards of Ash Tree Floral Designs reveals the inspiration, mechanics, and creativity behind her award‑winning design
Silver-Gilt
‘Wind in the Willows Riverside Retreat’
Poppy Cottrell & Margaret Fox Rock the Design
Complete with willow fish and boating accessories, this welcoming design combined seasonal flowers and foliage in earthy tones to create the perfect dining space for the whimsical characters of Wind in the Willows. A frieze of honeysuckle and moss was an inspired finishing touch.
Silver
‘The Woodland Restaurant’
Demelza Leng The Unwalled Garden
This green and lush setting invited the viewer to dine within a riot of colour, seasonal flowers, greenery and herbs, seeing plants as not just decorative, but also as food.
Silver
A Quintessentially English Afternoon Tea
Emily Rodriguez-Martin Changing Seasons Flowers
Precision and neatness dominated in this beautifully laid out, nostalgic nod to the traditional afternoon tea. Quirky details such as a teapot chandelier ad a contemporary touch.
Silver
Victorian Woodland
Kate Hurst Camomile Cornflowers
A Victorian book club brought to life with colourful spring flowers, trailing vines, and a table laid with vintage glassware and delicate China. The perfect space to relax and wind down.
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.
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