Photo above by Ellie Walpole - Original Painting by Hilma Af Klint

Soundscape - Totterridge Yew by Charlie Carroll, to sit in unison with my design.

Press to play to recreate the immersive quailty of my RHS Chelsea Flower Show installation.

 RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023 – 37B

Above is the painting, Tree of Knowledge, No.1 by the early 20th-century Swedish artist, Hilma af Klint.  

At RHS Chelsea Flower Show, I interpreted the artwork above in the form of a symbolic, immersive and sensory floral installation - an installation, that I hoped would speak to each individual in a personal and unique way.

This piece was also created in honour of my beloved Granny. She was my muse and inspiration for all that I have created in the world of flowers. She passed during RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023, but, she was at the heart of this piece; Both spiritually, emotionally and literally, with a polaroid of her nestled within the flowers at the centre of my design. My flower interpretation also became a flower alter.

HILMA Af Klint believed that nature is our higher guide and her work honoured and worshipped the natural world. She created through nature by abstracting and enlarging the cellular details, shapes and forms of plants and flowers; combining the precision of botanical and scientific diagrams, with fluid curving lines.  Highlighting its intelligence, complexity, beauty and resilience and shining a light on nature's interconnectivity with all forms of life. 

Her Tree of Knowledge series features eight different paintings - each drawing on the concept of the Tree of Life. A common archetype from many cultures across the world. It symbolizes the source of life, the cycle of birth and death, togetherness, ancestry, family, fertility, growth, learning, strength, peace, love and the invisible force that connects everything.

In my Flower Interpretation, I used a mixture of British grown, dried flowers and plants. (please see the plant and flower list below where you can see my reasons for inclusion) Each one was chosen to reflect the original artwork; this could be in their colour, shape, texture, or composition. Some were selected for their medicinal and healing qualities, or because of a deeper level of meaning; referencing the concepts and ideologies found in af Klint’s painting and some for personal reasons, close to my heart. The dried flowers also acted as an everlasting reminder that we must preserve nature for future generations And the plants represented growth and new life.

In my immersive installation, I was engaging all our senses - scent, sound and sight. Hoping to create a moment of stillness in our fast-paced world. A time for reflection, and to ask ourselves “What wisdom has nature taught us?” and “How can we support and protect nature using these teachings?”

Viewers were invited to write down their thoughts, on the note tags found nestled within a 200 year old hawthorn stump. This was cut sustainably from my Granny’s garden - a beautiful piece of her history and my childhood, featured poetically within The RHS Chelsea Flower Show. I asked viewers to then place these thoughts in the abstract vessel at the base of my design. Over the course of the Show, I incorporated these by hanging them within the installation - Creating a conversion between us and nature. In a way, this action transformed the piece into a floral Alter. where viewers worshipped and honoured our natural world.

The many messages attached to The Tree of Knowledge, were incredibly beautiful, extremely poignant and wonderfully heart felt.

I also collaborated with sound artist Charlie Carroll. who has composed a contemporary soundscape To be listened to in unison with my floral design,

Using specialist microphones, Carroll captured sounds at the foot of an ancient Yew tree in London; thought to be around 2000 years old. This tree acts as our protagonist within this Floral interpretation of Tree of Knowledge, No. 1. you are listening to these sounds from The tree’s perspective. you are at one with nature. He also created homemade electromagnetic microphones, which captured electromagnetic fields and ultrasonic noises that surround the tree due to modern electrical frequencies - The result, a breathtakingly beautiful, transcending and nuanced piece of sound work.

This combination of natural and manmade sounds, as well as the inclusion of the harmonic tones of a heart chakra singing bowl; known to have positive effects on the mind and body - we are commenting from today’s perspective of environmental crisis. Highlighting How fragile this relationship is and our need to protect and heal this.

I wanted the headphones to be intrinsically part of my design; rather than just a tool for listening. I sustainably foraged from My Granny’s orchard, a dead apple tree branch, which offered the head phones to visitors to listen to the sound scape. apple Tree’s also have links to the Tree of Knowledge and are a symbol of happiness and good health.

As well as flowers and vegetal material. I incorporated found props and handmade objects that sat within my interpretation. These were presented as votive offerings to nature – A gesture of thanks.

Amongst them were weaved metal Meditation Sculptures by Wayne Killian. Each piece was created within a space of quiet contemplation and mindfulness; inspired by nature's organic shapes, as well as our own Human forms, such as the reproductive and other internal organs - Here, Killian also Mirrors af Klint’s process of observation and then abstraction of natural forms in her practice.

Vintage brass birds were also dispersed at the back of the installation. this space is completely reimagined and not interpreted. I created this area by taking inspiration and channelling af Klints visions. These flying birds also reflected the painted birds in the original artwork. Their metallic form; a nod to the metallic paint af klint used.

The inclusion of blue and white duck eggs; some secretly nesting in the comfort of the soft moss, also symbolised birth and new life, beginnings and cycles. they also reflected the shapes, patterns and colours found in af Klint’s work.

The Vessel for handwritten thoughts was created by Jamie Bunce of Revival homewares, 3D printed using recycled materials from waste and biodegradable fruit punnets. its shape, a celebration of the reproductive system, an abstracted fallopian reference.

Each flower, material, object and mechanic used to create my design were reusable or biodegradable. This a reminder of our need to be conscious consumers and act with sustainability at the heart of what we do. 

By opening ourselves up to the lessons of nature. taking the time to step away from our hectic lives and using our technological advances to support our natural surroundings. We have the power to strengthen this relationship, and, in turn, provide a healthy and flourishing planet for future generations.

Nature is our higher guide.  

Flower and plant list

and reaSons for inclusion

Bambusa Vulgaris (Bamboo) - Sustainablly foraged from my family farm. Used for mechanics and structure, plus aesthetics

Humulus Vines (Hopvines) - repurposed from a hopfarm in Hereford, their shapes sculpted to give a fallopian feel

Limonium sinuatum (Statice) - mirrored the colours in af klints painting

Craspedia globose (Craspedia) - used for intricate details that mirror the original artwork

Helichrysum italicum (Helichrysum) - referenced the bright red moments in the painting

Delphinium elatum (Delphinium) - perfect colours to match af klint's pallette

Origanum majorana (Marjorum) - known for its healing and medicinal properties

Achillea millefolium (Achillea)- perfect shape and shade to match the original painting

Amaranthus cruentus (Amaranthus) - Common name - Love lies Bleeding - a nod to the heart shape in the centre of Af Klint’s painting and love and loss

Cynara cardunculus (Cardoon artichoke) - the shape, colour and size Mirrored parts of the painting

Papaver somniferum (Poppy head) - shape and texture to reflect the original artwork

Cortaderia selloana (Pampas) - Picked from my Granny’s Garden. Granny was the person who inspired by Floristry career and was the heart of all that I made

Hydrangea macrophylla (Hydrangea) - Picked from my Granny’s Garden. Hydrangea remind me of her. She had such a beautiful garden

Gypsophila Paniculata - ( babies -breath ) - final touches to bring delicate softness

Lobelia - fresh plants represented new life and beginnings, also to match colours within the artwork

nemesia - fresh plants represented new life and beginnings, also to match colours within the artwork

Michanthus sinensis (Michanthus grass) - The texture and shape To represent the birds in Af Klint’s painting

Platanus branches (Plane tree branches) - a reference to natures intelligence - these trees trap pollution particles in their bark and the hairs on their leaves

Hawthorn tree stump - this stump came from my family farm. It has very special memories attached to it. A reminder that my family are with me, supporting me, wherever I may be

apple tree branch - a reference to The Tree of Knowledge and the forbidden fruit - apple trees also symbolise good health and happiness

Sycamore branches - From a fallen tree on my family farm. Sycamore also symbolises strength, protection, eternity and divinity and support

Ivy branches - sustainably foraged from my family farm. Ivy symbolises everlasting life, devotion, fidelity and loyalty

Platmos (Flat Moss)- to reference the form, shapes, lines and composition of the original artwork

Peat free compost - to represent fertility, grounding, new growth and protection of the environment

stones - collected from my family farm after the soil has been tilled, the sharp a nod to the original artwork and the cycle of life

Thank you to all my loved ones ( you know who you are ) my Flowery assistants- Farzana Lais, Charlie Carroll & Hazel Gardiner, collaborators, Charlie Carroll and Jamie Bunce, my suppliers and my sponsors who supported me with my RHS Chelsea Flower Show Design - I appreciate each and every one of you x

My wonderful Sponsers - Mum, Dad, suisie, Richard, Margaret & Nigel, Carolyn, Sue & David, Rosie, Pauline, Carole & Nigel, Charlie & Claire, Tom, Richard, Katie, Catherine, Molly, Mary, Jane, Debbie, Phil & Dan, Andrew, Jean, Isobel, Neil & Carol, Simon & Louise, Muriel & John, Ella, Huntly & Lou, Jo & Mitch