Entering our freestanding dried flower wreath into the debut RHS Sandringham Flower Show 2026 was a massive leap of faith. We might be stocked at HRH Sandringham Estate, but this was our first show, first competition and in all honesty I wasn’t sure we’d even be selected! The standard of entries at any RHS show is always exceptionally high. The best of the best coming together to showcase the best of our industry.
Receiving the brief, I wanted to produce something new and fresh. Something I have never seen before or made myself. Traditionally wreaths are hung on walls or doors so you only see one side. Wouldn’t it be great to see both sides, to make something that could be viewed from all angles. Designing a pedestal like Full Bloom in dried flowers also afforded us the opportunity to experiment. I’m sure all the other florists planned and practised their designs too, leaving anything to chance would of been rather foolish at such a prestigious event.
Like most other farmer/florists, our crop hasn’t been the best this year. However all the warm weather did mean we had a large selection of flowers and foliage to work with. I started with the foliage, building a base to highlight the beautiful flowers. The good thing about RHS is that it isn’t a timed competition. You have ample opportunity to prep before and during the build up to the event. Weaving in 1000’s of stems of dried flowers was a real labour of love. Seeing the final piece in-situ always means adjustments and last minute checks.
Standing back and seeing Full Bloom on display was utterly magical. Watching people stop by, photographing and discussing dried flowers made all the hard work worthwhile. Our profession is often viewed as frivolous, seeing everyone enjoy and value our work was wonderful. I hope everyone who visited the show loved it as much as we did.
Paris Fashion Week
Two sides of the same business
A closer look at Sandringham