Childhood holidays were almost always spent in Scotland. It was quite the drive from coastal East Anglia to the Northwest Highlands. A solid twelve hours plus embedded in the backseat of the Volvo, listening to Dire Straits on repeat and pondering the relentlessness of The Fens.

With no family connections that far North, the draw of Scotland was its untameable wildness. The vast expanses of uninhabited beauty, so full of space and peace. We did the usual tourist stuff of course, but the best days were spent driving down winding roads, exploring little pockets of heathland. Scrabbling up mountainsides with all the grace you’d expect from someone who grew up at sea level.

I never quite comprehended the sheer vastness of the mountains, or the way the stinging wind slapped you across the face as you fought to cross deserted beaches.

One beach in particular stands out. A sea of dunes which backed onto a peat bog. Deep red peat stained streams cut across the beach like veins, and the whole shoreline was like the aftermath of a massacre. It was as unnerving as it was captivating.

It’s been years since those Highland days, but the enormity of the landscape remains buried deep within. What a pleasure then to reignite those memories for a special floral project.

The Brief:

On Wednesday I was invited by the Jo Malone London team to host a floral masterclass in their Reigate boutique, in celebration of their new Brit Collection.

The new Brit Collection evokes the eclectic wildness of the Scottish Highlands, and features botanicals such as Achillea, Heather, Thistle and Mallow. I drew upon my memories of those Scottish holidays to curate a selection of materials directly inspired by the moorland landscape, and which referenced the core botanicals of the collection.

We arranged a richly colourful and textural hand tied bouquet. Creating the sense that we had gathered a bountiful handful from the Scottish moors, as we gracefully flounced in our heritage tartan amongst the swirling mists!

The Chosen Ingredients:

Achillea - One of the signature botanicals.

Anigozathos - To bridge between the bright yellow of Achillea and the rich pinks and bronze tones. The flower shape also reminded me of Furze. Another heathland stalwart.

Chamelaucium - Whose deep pink referenced the promotional imagery of the Brit Collection, but also for a flower shape reminiscent of Mallow on the Moor, another signature element of the collection.

Eryngium - For the Thistle. Two types were chosen to add depth and interest.

Erica - Beautifully textural Heather, for obvious reasons.

Kaaps Foliages - To add pops of intrigue. Those mountainside scrambles were punctuated by discoveries of unusual botanicals, sometimes just a few stems, emerging from the carpet of Heather and Bracken.

Nigella - Whose colour and form is the perfect partner to the Erynigium, and adds some wispy froth.

Butterfly Ranunculus - To reference the Mallow, and add some softness to the rich banquet of texture.

Ornamental Grasses - To create delicate clouds reminiscent of the moorland mists, and to reference the native grasses which thrive in these damp wildnesses.

Massive thanks to Kez, Wallace and Katie from the Jo Malone London Reigate team, and all the lovely participants who engaged with the materials and process with such enthusiasm.

To spend time creating with others is truly a wonderful thing.