Leamington florist exhibits creation at sustainable flower festival after winning competition

A Leamington-based flower farmer and florist won a design competition which meant she could create a design for a flower festival.
Nicola Hill with her floral window creation. Photo suppliedNicola Hill with her floral window creation. Photo supplied
Nicola Hill with her floral window creation. Photo supplied

The Strawberry Hill House Flower Festival in Twickenham, which took place in September, is a sustainable flower festival where floral designers use foam-free sustainable floristry techniques and outdoor grown British flowers.

And Nicola Hill, who started her flower farm and floristry business – Gentle Blooms – last year, was given the honour of showing her skills at the event.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She says that she grows all her flowers locally without pesticides or chemicals and uses them to create bouquets, wreaths and funeral flowers using floral foam free techniques.

She also sells her flowers at Aubrey Allen in Leamington.

Nicola said: “I was shocked to discover that the UK imports 90 per cent of cut flowers from as far away as Ethiopia and South America, so I started growing my own cut flowers and enjoyed it so much I decided to expand.

"I have a background in design, having worked in architecture for many years, and really enjoy creating with flowers.

“My flowers have a very low carbon footprint, are bee friendly and smell amazing.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

As a member of Flowers from the Farm, a not-for-profit organisation championing more than 950 independent artisan growers of local seasonal cut flowers across the UK, Nicola had the chance to enter the competition to create a design for one of five windows in the gothic gallery at Strawberry Hill.

Nicola said: “I was very nervous about creating the display, but everything went well as I’d practised beforehand.

"I felt honoured to be chosen and have the chance to create alongside such well-known names.

"I used dahlias, strawflowers, scabious and asters along with herbs and scented geranium leaves. To add height I used branches of foliage and grasses to add movement and texture.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"I was delighted that my design showed what can be achieved without the use of floral foam, which is full of micro plastics that don’t decompose. "

Nicola added: “It’s important to me to be as environmentally friendly as possible, so being part of the only fully sustainable flower festival in the UK was wonderful.”

Nicola is running sustainable Christmas wreath workshops this December at Offchurch Village Hall. Tickets are available via her website: www.gentleblooms.co.uk