becoming more and more green fi ngered yet fell foul when quizzed on knowledge of the material she was working with. So she decided to train as a fl orist, and seemingly a natural she went on to become senior designer at McQueens in London where trends constantly come and go – there’s no room for repetition of designs, often client hotels simply wouldn’t allow it. Now she’s her own boss and
can incorporate her own views when creating fl oral art – she adores using fl ora to create ephemeral art, arguing we should embrace the transitory nature of fl owers and appreciate the beauty of the rotting process rather than chucking away anything seen as ‘dead’! She found her niche in fl oral
installation art by crafting pieces that allow the public to physically interact with nature, such as fl oral walls and curtains and hanging blooms from ceilings. She loves anonymous art; producing unexpected installations that appear like magic is one of her favourite past-times, once hanging thousands of apples from branches of a tree, and with no sponsor or client-backing her only encouragement came from her
heart and her drive to push the boundaries of fl oristry and art. After fi nding the courage to
go it alone she succeeded by putting her own time and money into pursuing her passion, and she’s now hit the big time with commissions from top brands, including the likes of Hermes, Cartier, Mulberry and Diesel, not to mention her project with the Garden Museum earlier this year involving the hanging of thousands of roses from the ceiling.
The Wholesaler Wholesaler Dennis Edwards’ work with fl owers is worlds away from the other four speakers but vitally important. Having been in the business since his teens and as a long-standing resident of his stand at New Covent Garden Market he notes the changes in fl oral trends over a fair few years, picking up on diff erences in quality, countries of origin and the amount of varieties available. For example 20 years ago he reckons there were only two types
Picture courtesy of Covent Garden Flower Market
48 F&wb Summer 2013
of white rose available whereas now there are 30 worth buying! Due to the amount of investment in technology in recent years diff erent fl oral trends pass through the market on a regular basis as the pace of the industry races forward. Scent is something consumers
often adore in a fl ower, however new technology means scented stems have been sacrifi ced for longer-lasting blooms. David surprisingly claims that only about 6 in 100 roses have a scent since they’re bred for vase-life and colour instead. Simon Lycett adds that he often makes up for this by using herbs for fragrance in his arrangements. When asked his secret to
success David jokes about being a part-time burglar to make ends meet but felt that really it’s to always keep his stand full of fl owers to keep customers like Simon and Vic interested -visit it and you’ll fi nd a rainbow of blooms to choose from. He summed up the spirit of the evening saying: “we’re all lucky to be making a living out of fl owers”.
We’re all lucky to be making a living out of flowers
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