It’s RHS Chelsea! Ahhhh that time of year when you can’t move in London for floral themed activities, events and menus.

It’s also a time of year where consumers merrily join my potty obsession for florals and as a both a florist and marketeer - I absolutely revel in it.

I made my Chelsea debut with Lucy Vail for the installation of the Chelsea Gate back in 2022 and was totally gripped by the crescendo of floral and garden prowess that rallies the best in the business to don their floral prints and parade their petals with quintessential British pomp!

Chelsea Gate installation with Lucy Vail - RHS Chelsea 2022

Whilst we may be in the midst of Chelsea mania, the floral and gardening embrace that grips marketing activity isn’t limited to this annual event, nor the corners of SW3.

Britain is a nation of gardeners – 27 million in fact and the undeniable visceral experience of flowers means there’s endless opportunities and reasons why a floral narrative works for brand communications. Offering both beauty in the physical but captured for awe inspiring digital content too. This is a winning formula.

DRIES VAN NOTEN launched Jardin de l’Orangerie at Selfridges and told the story of a brand which readily draws inspiration from nature and a designer who is a passionate gardener. Through my floral business Flheure , I hosted a floral atelier with buckets of British grown flowers and foliage curated to align with the scent notes of the fragrance, Dries’ favourite flowers and the bold colour palette of the range. Tickets were redeemable against product purchase and guests were taught to create hand tied bouquets whilst getting the opportunity to meet The Nose of Dries Van Noten’s collection and learn more about the tie between florals and fragrance.

Dries Van Noten - Selfridges - by Flheure

JACQUEMUS dipped its toe into the world of floristry opening a pop up collaboration titled 'Les Fleurs’ in Paris’ artistically renowned 18th arrondissement offering seasonal bouquets of Ranunculus grown on a family farm in the South of France. The intense pom poms of colour were wrapped in recycled fabrics from the designer’s previous collection. Not only did this showcase his commitment to sustainability it also prompted spontaneous creativity with recipients styling the cloths into everything from miniskirts to interior accessories.

"Les Fleurs" Paris

When the LEGO Group launched its flower shop ‘Le Florist’ in Battersea Power station promoting its Botanical range for Valentine’s Day this year it promised to “give love that’s built to last”. The entrance to the store was blacked out and fitted with an awning, a floor mosaic, street paving and stacks of crates, vases and plant pots. These were adorned with over 220 LEGO Botanicals sets featuring 1000 individual LEGO flowers and made up of a staggering 120,436 LEGO bricks and elements. Lego also created a flower stall near the store which was used to help draw attention to the main activation and was used as a backdrop for press photos. The charm and endorsement from Newlyweds podcasters Jamie Lang and Sophie Habboo helped the activity secure over 13M views and 1M likes which made for an earned media success.

Le Florist - Lego - Battersea Power Station

From the land to the sea - Cunard has a long-standing partnership with RHS which offers an authentic alignment between a brand and the passion points of its audience.  In 2023 they cruised an installation of their Queen Anne ship into the show and dropped anchor by the Bandstand to provide a bold and unmissable photo moment.

Cunard - Chelsea Flower Show 2023

Here at Hot Pickle we are currently working with a new beverage client who will soon be opening a semi-permanent space in London. The planting schemes will take direct reference from wild flowers like Rock Rose, Broom, Mimosa, Cynoglossum, Ragwort and Poppies which are encouraged within the vines of wine producers they work with to promote biodiversity and pollination. Our attention to detail actively seeks to give meaning to our design choices and having me as resident florist, certainly helps promote this green fingered agenda!

So if I’ve wet your appetite for a little flower power – head on down to Chelsea in Bloom running from 20th-26th May. This year is theme is aptly titled ‘Floral Feasts’. The event capitalises on the increased footfall to the area during Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower show and galvanises local businesses big and small to get creative! The individual expression of the theme encourages endless UGC opportunities and the option to vote for your favourite adds an additional layer of engagement to the experience. My vote this year went to Pizza - Express for the charming installations of delicious looking Margheritas – results are to be announced later today so get there quickly!

#experiencethatpays #experienceeconomy #floratising

Chelsea In Bloom 2024