It’s an exciting week ahead, as today is the start of this years Chelsea Flower Show. Located a mere five minute walk from our Pimlico Road showroom, a ripple of anticipation has hit as vibrant floral displays emerge, adorning the fronts of the surrounding stores in Belgravia and Chelsea to honour the prestigious event.
If your knowledge is lacking, the event is held each May in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, dating back to 1913. At this time it was known as the Great Spring Show and was a quiet affair, modestly confined to a single marquee. As you must know by now, the event expanded to become the worlds most famous flower show; having survived the war, each era saw growth in the number of exhibitors, attendees (including famous faces and Royale’s), and increasingly daring and more immersive garden designs.
With sponsorship from brands and charities, garden designers are given the opportunity to bring concepts to life in a landscape form, whether that be to raise awareness of our planet, showcase the work of charities or a celebration of the beginnings of great brands. There have been many superb and awe-inspiring show gardens over the years, but one we felt particularly compelled by was sponsored by fellow beauty brand L’Occitane in 2016. The L’Occitane Garden designed by James Basson, brought to life the Haute Provence; the home of the brands founder who in 1976 discovered an abandoned steam distiller which influenced him to produce essential oils from the local herbaceous plantlife.
As perfumers, the incredible resources that come from the natural environment act as the inspiration as well as being the fundamental element of our products. A brand with the same wisdom, The L’Occitaine garden inspired us to conceptualise a Czech & Speake Garden, which perhaps one day might just go to show…
This is how we envisage the Czech & Speake Garden…
As you enter the Czech & Speake Garden, your eyes will be transfixed on the grand, Edwardian water feature, central to the opening lawn – water being symbolic and the core of everything we do within our luxury bathing concept. Surrounding the feature sit four unique flower beds for each of the overarching fragrance families; floral, oriental, woody and fresh. With a closer look, the significant flowers, herbs and fruits of each of our twelve fragrances can be found nestled within the appropriate beds, producing a gorgeous and heady and aroma.
As you venture past the opening section, you find yourself in an enclosed leafy pergola, adorned with circular vanity mirrors that create the most beautiful dappled light as the sun seeps through and bounces between them. Amongst the mass of reflection is an outdoor seat, crafted from a regal freestanding tub with ball and claw feet, cladded with bespoke leather cushions in our signature brilliant red.
As you leave the almost hypnotic pergola enclosure to the final section of the garden, you are faced with a large stretch of lush striped lawn to give space to great British sporting activities or perhaps a leisurely afternoon tea in the sun.
…What would your garden look like?
Vist our Pimlico Road store to see our floral display in homage to the event.
Cover image sourced from the rhs.org.
Are you excited about Chelsea flower show? Discover our floral scents. If you’d like to know more about which fragrance families our scents belong to, click here.
