Last June, British Flowers Week brought together florists, flower growers, and flower enthusiasts for a five-day celebration of seasonal, British-grown flowers and sustainable floral design. At the Garden Museum, five leading British floral designers showcased the beauty and diversity of locally grown seasonal flowers through their installations.
This year, the exhibiting designers were Elder & Iris, Cynthia Fan, Andy Monaghan, Nate Moss, and Vervain. They work with seasonal flowers from growers in the Flowers from the Farm network, thereby shining a spotlight on the entire British flower supply chain: from the field to the florist. The installations were specially designed for the historic spaces of the Garden Museum.
The starting point was the world of painter, botanist, and plant breeder Cedric Morris. His paintings, unique irises, and the Benton End garden inspired a variety of explorations into color, form, and plant material. For example, Andy Monaghan translated the color nuances of Morris’s irises into a composition of wild and cultivated roses, while Vervain arranged Corten steel bowls filled with flowers into a monumental painter’s palette.
The exhibition demonstrates how regional origin need not limit design but can, in fact, guide it. Working with what the season and local growers have to offer leads to a keener awareness of materials and a recognizable connection to time and place.
The annual British Flowers Week exhibition at the Garden Museum is part of a nationwide campaign. British Flowers Week 2026 aligns with the United Nations’ International Year of the Woman Farmer.
The campaign is organized by Flowers from the Farm, a trade association dedicated to the British flower industry. The event spotlights innovative growers, with a special focus on women entrepreneurs within the British flower sector.
