RHS Letters

Each year RHS Malvern Spring Festival gives a talented individual or group the opportunity to design and decorate the RHS letters.

The West Midlands region of Flowers from the Farm the industry body membership association championing artisan growers of local, seasonal British cut flowers, have been selected to dress the iconic RHS letters at this year’s festival.

The theme of the design is to depict “a day in the life of a Flower Farmer” and the letters will be decorated illustrating all the tasks and jobs involved in a typical day, giving the public an insight into the joy of growing and arranging beautiful flowers.

Plants, flowers and foliage will be seasonal and sourced from local flower farms, grown along sustainable principles with a commitment to using no pesticides or chemicals. Additional plants have been supplied by local nurseries, meaning airmiles travelled will be zero. Many thanks to Webbs of Wychbold, Fertile Fibre and Leaf Creative for their support.

The design will show different methods of sustainable floristry. No Oasis or any single use plastics will be used. Eco floristry skills will be demonstrated using willow as the main mechanic, with reusable water vessels, suction hooks, string and no chicken wire will be used.  A range of floristry skills will be included – from columns and hung installations in the letters, to overflowing urns and subtle ikebana. Parts of the mechanics will be left visible to inspire others to try similar techniques and to see some of the tools of the trade.

This is a year round task which involves collecting seed – represented by seed heads, to sowing (the display will include trays of seedlings and small plug plants) and planting bulbs and tubers. The installation will also give an insight into some of the daily tasks of a flower farmer like watering, planting, weeding and harvesting.

Members involved in the design of the RHS letters are Nicola Hill of Gentle Blooms, Kate Hurst of Camomile & Cornflowers, Kat Norbury of Kat’s Cut Flowers,  Suzy Cubitt of From Garden to Vase, Jo Thompson of Wye Valley Flowers, Rozanne Delamore of the Ledbury Flower Farmer.  All plants and flowers left over after the show will be donated to local care homes to be enjoyed by their residents.

Visitors to the show will have the chance to meet the flower farmers and learn more about the beauty and value of buying locally and seasonally, careers in flower farming, and the work of Flowers from the Farm.

Spreading their passion for garden-style flowers and foliages from the stage in the Potting Shed Theatre will be an inspirational line-up of Flowers from the Farm members.  Flower farmer Meg Edmonds of Roots Family Farm shop will be talking to Event Florist Kate Hurst of Camomile & Cornflowers on Saturday 11 May at 11am about how they work together. On Sunday 12 May at 11 am, Flower Farmers, Jo Thompson of Wye Valley Flowers and Rozanne Delamore, the Ledbury Flower Farmer will be demonstrating sustainable floristry mechanics, using British grown blooms from their flower farms.

All plants and flowers left over after the show will be donated to local care homes to be enjoyed by their residents.

(from l to r – Ruth Woollacott, Sophie Hamilton, Meg Edmonds, Jonathan Moseley, Kate Hurst, Kat Norbury and Nicola Hill)

About Flowers from the Farm

Founded in 2011, Flowers from the Farm is the UK industry body championing nearly 1000 independent, small-scale growers of local, seasonal cut flowers. Its members farm an estimated 1000 acres of garden-style flowers and foliages on cutting gardens, allotments, walled gardens and farmland across the UK from Inverness to the Isles of Scilly.  Flowers from the Farm has three founding aims: to promote British cut flowers, encourage more people to grow for market and to foster friendships and collaboration.

You can find your local flower farmer at www.flowersfromthefarm.co.uk.

Instagram: @Flowersfromthefarm

Facebook: Flowersfromthefarmpublic

Some growers sell wholesale to local florists, whilst others may sell buckets of flowers to brides or use their floristry skills to offer bouquets, wedding, event and funeral flowers.