Dried flowers… a perfect match for the British Pub

Over the last few years I’ve supplied dried flowers in various forms, to a number of very lovely pubs. The traditional British pub is really something quite special to me; the source of so many wonderful memories, and I think something quite unique to the British Isles; it’s certainly on most visitors’ must-experience list. Where else can you turn up in muddied boots, dry a wet dog by a roaring fire, meet all sorts of people at their greatest ease, and enjoy food anywhere from the comfortingly traditional, to the most refined and creative Michellin standards?

I think that in few (if any) other circumstances are such old buildings that fly proudly in the face of modern building regulations, preserved and part of a very living, hard-working industry. And thank goodness they are, or we would not all be able to enjoy their most comforting, quirky interiors.

The atmosphere is individual, but is always special; the combination of warm and natural materials - the stone walls, flagged floors, oak beams and stripped wood; the smell and warmth of a fire; the history told in the assortment of pictures and ornaments, and of course the people.

For me, dried flowers are the perfect complement to the British pub. Sourced from the British countryside, they blend with the rustic, natural aesthetic in a way that a vase of out of season blooms never could. And if selected and arranged with the knowledge of how the different varieties fare over time, are very economical in terms of time and money saved.

I have been delighted to work with Brakspears to create dried flower arrangements for tables in some of their pubs. Now, dried flowers are on the one hand known for being quite delicate; perhaps not the obvious choice for a busy environment where movement and the potential for moisture are a certainty. But pick the right varieties, and arrange them in a way that those pieces that need support get it, and they will last and last. I know that some of mine are still going strong after more than 18 months of daily use.

Photo credit - Brakspears, The Whitebear at Fickleshole

Dried flower decor need not stop at the table either. Priya and Ben Watson run The Golden Ball in Lower Assendon, a pub with a (very) fine dining restaurant. They wanted a garland to dress their 6 foot long mantlepiece, and bring a bit of year round, natural beauty to their characterful interior. Something not too bulky, that would last well in this busy setting.

All of the materials used have been grown within two miles of the pub. Hydrangea, cress, evergreen leaves, bunny tail grasses, catkins, honesty seed pods and more, provide colour, movement and texture, all bound with natural twine to a base of Virginia creeper. I added a fine wire of LED lights - barely noticeable by day, but bringing a little sparkle to the arrangement by night.

With the advantage of being quite mobile too, this piece has since moved to another mantlepiece, and the original space replaced with an even larger dried flower centrepiece.

Larger arrangements for bars, mantlepieces and the decoration of beams are all possible with dried flowers, and will of course, last and last.

I have also been grateful for the trust of the Watsons at The Gold Ball , in allowing me to prove that dried flowers can be an option for decorations outdoors. In this instance, dried materials are at the mercy of the elements, and so their life is more limited, but carefully chosen materials can still provide a beautiful display for several weeks. The trend for faux-flower installations is a bit of a tragedy for the environment and in my opinion, for good taste, but I think that will have to be for another blog post. The autumnal arrangement over the pub’s front door made use of elements I knew to withstand the winter in their natural environment - branches of browned beech and oak leaves, teasels, honesty; and with the addition of some pieces for shorter lived colour and interest. By using responsibly foraged materials the cost of the arrangement was greatly reduced, and I’m hoping a new trend for natural installations will catch on!