FLOWER IN FOCUS
end venues in the country and supplied fl owers for the most glamorous of occasions. He made an appearance on the BBC’s coverage of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year, giving the dianthus a well-deserved makeover and showcasing how spectacular they can be. He’s also just undertaken an extraordinary carnation-based task, so we thought he’d be the perfect choice for a chat about this issue’s Flower in Focus.
Why do you like carnations? They give a good “bang for the buck” – i.e. they provide great value for money and can be used to create really striking sculptural decorations in a palette of bold colours. The texture of them used en masse is amazing!
Have you always liked them? I have always admired them and seen their potential but it’s really only since working on large scale events that I have been able to explore using them in vast amounts to create sculptural installations of epic proportions. Personally I am still not a huge fan of them used in mixed designs unless it is very large scale but that said I think a lot of fl orists look down on them unnecessarily and without thinking about their commercial viability. As a base for funeral work they make a fabulous texture that is more luxurious than chrysanth but cheaper than roses. For gift arrangements a dome of carnations set against a beautiful container and embellished with trims can look far more lush than
12 F&wb Autumn/Winter 2013
Simon says... S
imon Lycett is renowned for his extraordinary event fl oristry, having styled the most high-
a traditional hand tied but for the same cost.
What’s your favourite
carnation design? When used to form sculptural arrangements because they really create a very pleasing eff ect. When the heads are arranged closely together they become a dramatic and spectacular “carpet” of colour and cover, with a texture more pleasing to the eye than almost any other fl ower when used in the same manner.
Do you have any special tips or tricks for when working
with carnations? Prior to using, ensure that they have had a good few days drinking water to make the fl owers open up and become as large as possible, and always cut stems on an angle, between, not on, a stem node joint. If you’re using the fl owers in fl at massed bedding designs, a slight splitting of the calyx will ensure that they go that bit further.
Are there any guidelines you follow when buying
carnations? Think BIG! They work best used in isolation and en masse.
Do you have a particularly memorable event or design in which you used
carnations? I just fi nished a job for a client’s private birthday celebration in Venice where we decorated the dining tables within a huge former church with over 20,000 bright red carnations. They were arranged to form runners of colour within shallow bespoke Perspex trays that ran the length of each table. Within the ceiling, a series of fi ve
Simon promoting carnations with presenter Nikki Chapman at the Chelsea Flower Show
3m cubes formed from massed red carnation fl owers were suspended which added fullness within the four storey ceiling space.
Do you have a favourite
type/colour of carnation? I LOVE all the bright rich colours and the clashing combinations that are achievable from mixing these shades. I also adore the deep clove and the soft coral tones too!
Have you gone public about your love aff air with
carnations? Oh yes… no fl ower is naff … it’s how you use them that makes them special. I think one of the saddest sights is the carnations you see petrol stations… scraggy gyp, a stem or two of spray car and a couple of standards, usually in horribly mismatched colours. Whoever thought of that design (and I use the world loosely!) should have been shot! As fl orists we need to show carnations in all their glory… not just because they look fab but because they can be a really profi table fl ower when you compare cost to coverage so we need consumers to accept them. That’s why it was great to have been able to promote the wonders of carnations to the viewing nation this summer as part of the BBC coverage of the Chelsea Flower Show. I’m not ashamed to say I like them so if I can give them a public plug I do!
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