Strawberry Hill Flower Festival 2023
Celebrating its 5th edition, the Strawberry Hill House Flower Festival returns to Horace Walpole’s ground-breaking ‘Gothic castle’ this autumn from 22nd to 24th September 2023.
Curators Leigh Chappell and Janne Ford have commissioned over thirty leading UK-based floral designers and growers to take over and respond to the spectacular interior of Walpole’s stunning Georgian home.
Visitors will be amazed by the sheer variety of ways each designer works with British-grown seasonal flowers and foliage, sharing their artistry, expertise and passion for sustainable foam-free floral design.
The event also showcases a number of up-and-coming designers who are sure to dazzle with their creativity.
Making a welcome return are renowned Hampshire growers Hortus Poeticus, who will transform the stairwell with English flowers that will fill the space with their beauty and scent. Hortus Poeticus are also passionate about challenging the dubious ethical and environmental footprint of the many flowers we buy.
There will be the usual popular curator tours, talks and demonstrations and Strawberry Hill’s own gardening team will be on hand to give expert advice relating to horticultural hiccups, from reluctant rhododendrons to drooping dahlias.
Launching the event, Leigh Chappell said: “We held our first Flower Festival at Strawberry Hill House in 2019 welcoming hundreds of visitors. In 2022 it was a sell-out, welcoming over 1,400 visitors over three days. This year, we look forward to another successful event. Once again, we will be working in partnership with Flowers from the Farm, the award-winning membership association for artisan cut flower growers in the UK.”
Janne Ford commented: “Both Leigh and I, plus all our wonderful curators and floral designers are excited to be working with Strawberry Hill House for a 5th year, as it is absolutely the perfect backdrop to showcase floral designs, with all its colour, drama, opulence, light and shadow.”
The Flower Festival is in association with Flowers from the Farm and sponsored by Savills Teddington. Flowers from the Farm co-chair, Meg Edmonds says: “We see a perfect synergy between the creative vision of the Strawberry Hill House Flower Festival and Flowers from the Farm. The Flower Festival presents a unique opportunity to showcase the talents of our farmer-florists and the beauty of local, seasonal British cut flowers in creative floral design.”
Visitors to the Flower Festival will also be able to wander around the five-acres of gardens comprising beds, borders, walks, lawns and woodlands. Horace Walpole was a keen gardener, writing the hugely influential essay The History of the Modern Taste in Gardening, first published in 1780.
Claire Leighton from Strawberry Hill House points out that the Festival celebrates the beauty, variety and versatility of British flowers with florists and designers creating a series of breathtaking displays: “All the exhibitors have sustainability at the heart of their craft and will demonstrate just what can be achieved using traditional and contemporary techniques,” she said.
Daniel Killick, head of office at Savills Teddington says they are thrilled to announce a second-year partnership with the Strawberry Hill House Flower Show. He points out that this year’s show will highlight sustainability as a central theme, all within the exquisite backdrop of Walpole’s Gothic Revival Villa: “Prepare to be captivated by the fusion of natural beauty and eco-consicious practices, as we create an extraordinary event that celebrates both the spelndour of flora and our commitment to a sustainable future,” he says.
Tickets for the Flower Festival are available online now. Prices, tour and talk times can be found at www.strawberryhillhouse.org.uk/flower-festival/
