A Seat at the Table
Reflections on exhibiting alongside some of Britain's most celebrated floral designers
When the invitation arrived to exhibit at The Florists’ Table, my first feeling wasn’t excitement. It was surprise.
Not because I didn’t want to be there, but because I wasn’t entirely sure I belonged.
I have always felt that both my work and I sit somewhere along the periphery of the floristry world. I am very clear in my communications that I am not a florist, instead positioning myself as a floral designer.
This is intentional. Whilst to many people there may not seem to be a huge difference, the distinction matters to me. In fact, the question of titles came up during one of the panel discussions throughout the day, with some really interesting perspectives shared by those involved.
In case you don’t know, Flowers on the Edge is the brainchild of Cissy from Wild Stems and Liv from Wetherly Flowers. In their words:
“Flowers on the Edge’, is a fringe floral design exhibition for British Flowers Week. The exhibition serves to elevate floral design as an art form, pushing the boundaries of what people expect from ‘floristry’, celebrating the exciting role of sustainable floristry within our industry and shining a spotlight on emerging season-led floral designers and locally grown flowers.”
British flowers are having a moment right now, but that moment has been decades in the making. It is the result of countless growers, florists and advocates working tirelessly to rebuild an industry that for many years remained largely invisible.
Most recently, the UK cut flower industry secured a dedicated Standard Industrial Classification Code (SIC) which is a huge milestone for farmers. Up until now the industry which is worth nearly £30 million has been hidden within broader agricultural categories and now finally will be recognised in official government economic data systems.
This recognition is important for many reasons, from being able to measure the true economic footprint of the industry to opening up access to government grants and sustainability lobbying.
So there was lots to celebrate the week of British Flowers week, which is led by the organisation Flowers from the Farm (of which I am a member) and focusses on the beauty of British flowers, in an attempt to raise awareness of their value and importance. There are exhibitions at the Garden Museum with lead florists as well as lots of activity on social media. Flowers on the Edge is the fringe event which also celebrates up and coming florists in a way that hasn’t been done before.
And this is where I found myself on the last Thursday in June. After weeks of planning and days of gathering materials from my garden and allotment I woke at 4am to make the long journey to Clapton to set up for the event. The heat was beginning to build in London, that thick muggy air that never really seems to dissipate had just started to arrive and I prayed that my flowers and plants would survive the journey.
I had been a bag of nerves for weeks beforehand. That voice inside my head was doing its very best to create a swirling storm of anxiety and self-doubt.
