Autumn Floral Inspiration with Leigh Chappell and Janne Ford
When summer came to October I was lucky enough to spend the day in Chiswick House and Gardens kitchen garden with Floral Designer Leigh Chappell and Floral Photographer Janne Ford. This lovely workshop got my creative juices flowing! The kitchen gardens at Chiswick House are filled with fruit and vegetables, and more importantly an abundance of flowers still blooming in October.
We started by picking a few blooms from the beautiful setting of the kitchen garden. I chose dahlia, chrystanthamem and strawflowers with hollyhocks which reminded me of my seventies childhood (I love how things come back in fashion!).
Leigh showed us how to create a base with chicken wire - (oasis is very bad for the environment, never use it). She talked us through composition and the group worked at adding the foliage and flowers to our design. Calm descended as we mindfully created our bowls - flower arranging forces you to slow down and study what you are doing - there are no shortcuts!
Floral Photographer Janne created two gorgeous tablescapes for us to photograph our creations, one in a dusty shed complete with drying flowers and a robin visitor. This one had a beautiful light pouring in through a small window and a lovely rustic background, with draped tablecloths and autumnal gourds and candles. Outside, Janne created a bright and breezy table with flowing hand-dyed ribbons and a basket of pears, the warm October air twirling around us, right in the middle of the kitchen garden.
If you ever get the chance to do a workshop with these amazing ladies look out on their site and socials. Leigh Chappell Flowers and Janne Ford.
My finished flower bowl!
The finished table with some of our flower bowls in Chiswick House Kitchen Garden.
