We’re feeling festive this week at the Garden Museum, as five floral designers have adorned the museum with seasonal British-grown flowers and foliage for Winter Flowers Week! Take a closer look at their installations and discover the florists’ inspirations, in their own words:
Frida Kim in collaboration with Wagner Kreusch
Husk
Winter’s stillness is not a pause, but a quiet commemoration of strength and resilience.
Seeds rest, gathering their energy, prepared to flourish when warmth returns. In winter, seeds lie dormant, shielded by their hardy coats and minimal moisture to prevent freezing damage. The earth’s insulation cradles them safely. When warmth and light return, they awaken, absorb water, and germinate.
This careful conservation allows seeds to flourish only when conditions are perfect for growth and survival. This installation honours that hidden potential, where light illuminates the beauty of each seed pod – rejoicing in the quiet power of life waiting to awaken. Just as we too find moments of growth in stillness, these seeds inspire us to remember that even in rest, we prosper.
Harriet Parry
Grounding
Grounding is an immersive, layered installation that explores themes of folklore, healing and the cyclical nature of life, growth, decay and renewal.
Through the use of fallen tree branches, foraged materials, and British winter flowering plants (sustainably sourced from the artist’s own roots in Worcestershire and London) the installation re-imagines the root system of a tree as a representation of the interconnectedness of life and the importance of roots.
These roots are both literal and metaphorical; not just for trees, but for ourselves, our families, and our communities.
Drawing inspiration from “as above, so below,” Grounding emphasizes the link between the material world and spiritual realms, as well as ‘grounding’, the practice of connecting to the earth to be present and promote healing.
The installation asks visitors to connect both with the visible earth and the unseen world beneath the soil that nurtures that which exists above.
The root echoes the form of an evergreen tree which is adorned with dried flower garlands. The dressing references cultural traditions tied to the Winter Solstice and the symbolic use of garlands in ancient celebrations. The London plane tree branches symbolise resilience and strength, whilst selected flowers have meanings of peace, love and tranquility.
A bespoke soundscape, recorded with specialist microphones by Charlie Carroll, accompanies the installation. The mix of micro-sounds invites visitors to tune into the subtleties of the earth. From soil movements to the creatures that dwell within it, a moment of escapism, to ground oneself in the present moment.
At the close of the exhibition all the plants and materials will be reused and replanted, both as a lasting reminder of the messages reflected in the artwork and to extend the installation’s life cycle.
JamJar Flowers
The Secret Garden
“Everything is made out of Magic, leaves and trees, flowers and birds, badgers and foxes and squirrels and people” – Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden
Step through a half drawn curtain into the JamJar Flower’s magical winter installation.
Inspired in part by Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden, our garden too has apparently been left to run wild for many years. Largely reclaimed by nature now; ivy, vines and old man’s beard have taken over, climbing up the stone walls and the leafless trees from which they hang in delicate trails. A winding path flanked by mossy banks studded with evergreen ferns leads to a long neglected stone urn.
Piercing the undergrowth of fallen leaves and beautiful wintery detritus, tiny white cyclamen lie in drifts. In their purity and innocence they remind us there is always life even in the depths of winter. Spring will come and the garden will live again.
As you explore, you will discover small fragments of antique linen embellished with verse and literary quotes. There to draw you in close and connect our inspiration to the physical, setting the wintery mood and giving pause for reflection.
Ingredients are locally sourced and lovingly foraged from the sleeping British countryside. After the installation all natural materials will be returned to the earth or distributed to JamJar Flowers’ local community.
Sophie Powell U.Fl.O.London in collaboration with Julian Carter Design
Gluggaveður
Gluggaveður, a moment of enchantment when the world beyond your window transforms into a magical spectacle. The biting wind and wild weather outside only serve to heighten the cozy allure of your warm haven, making it the perfect time to indulge in the quiet joy of window gazing.
Step into a realm of wonder and enchantment, where an immersive floral snowball inspired by the Icelandic tradition of Gluggaveður awaits. Within this ethereal sphere created by Julian Carter Design, the soft, celestial glow of lights, the shimmering glass, and the gentle snowfall of fragrant, enchanted blossoms transports you to a world of magic connecting you to the beauty of the world and to remind us to cherish life’s simple pleasures.
Please step inside, take a moment to experience your own Gluggaveður in collaboration with Julian Carter Design.
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