Working in Important Historical Venues
- Viv Bradford
- Sep 25
- 3 min read
This month I have another wedding at Burghley House, one of the finest Elizabethan stately homes in England, home of the Burghley Horse Trials and now a popular film location. Working at a venue like that is always a privilege but it brings with it added stress and consideration for the historic value of the building and the artifacts contained within. Working in such venues is not unusual for florists these days, but as professionals we must always be mindful of our responsibilities so I thought a few top tips that help me, might be of use.
First and foremost, as with any venue, communication is key. The custodians of these historic venues would rather you asked questions than got something badly wrong, so don’t be afraid to ask if you don’t know what is expected of you. A lot of it is common sense but there may be things that you haven’t considered before if you have never worked in one of these types of location.
A lot of the curators and conservators you will come across have fairly major worries about pests and mould spores being imported into the venue so you may need to ask what is acceptable to them. Often potted plants and moss can be an issue because of the risk of pests hiding in the soil or moss matrix. Some varieties of flowers will be an automatic no. I have one venue where I am not allowed to use peonies because the petals can cause staining to stonework and lilies are usually not allowed because of the risk of pollen staining textiles. For the same reason berries and fruits are usually forbidden and any type of branch that could scratch surfaces. I also steer clear of any painted or dyed materials in case of dye transfer.
Check with whoever is your contact if they have a preference for mechanics. I have one venue that does not allow free water so everything has to be in floral foam, no vases or chicken wire mechanics can be used because of the risk of spillages. Many historic venues prefer you to design and build your arrangements off site, so check for ease of access and dimensions of arrangements to make it an easier install.
Use of water sprays and chemicals such as finishing sprays can also be a no go. So many of us give our finished installations a final spritz, that it is easy to forget that this may cause problems. Always use sheets to cover the floors if you are allowed to work on site but never tape them down. Keep the area tidy and sweep regularly with a soft bristled brush and dustpan to lessen the chance of leaves being walked in and causing staining. Make sure that any water is in a lidded container and only pour out enough for the job in hand, I find a long spout watering can the best container for topping up arrangements, bring plenty of old towels to wipe dry vessels before placing.
Never rest anything against the walls or up against furniture (that could quite possibly be priceless); it is so easy to forget in the heat of a tight time schedule. Always try to have another pair of eyes and hands to help in these situations and take detailed photographs of everything before you leave and ask your contact to come and check everything off and get a signature to that effect.
These venues can be the most beautiful to work within but we do need to remember the value of both the building and the artifacts, not only in monetary value but in historical value and treat them accordingly.
My mantra in these historic venues is check, check and check again (and make sure you have adequate insurance!)
Viv Bradford trained in West Germany in the late 1980s before returning to the UK, where she has pursued many roles in the industry from running retail premises, teaching floristry, working in wholesale, business coaching florists and running an award-winning studio florist specialising in weddings. Viv also created and runs Facebook group The Floristry Geek for students and those new to the industry which concentrates on educational content.
