We’re thrilled to share that The Farewell Flowers Directory has won an RHS Gold Medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show — the first ever display of sustainable funeral flowers in the show’s 112-year history, sponsored by the ICCM.
Her Majesty Queen Camilla visited the ground-breaking exhibit on Press Day and spoke to co-founder Gill Hodgson about the movement to eliminate plastic floral foam and single-use plastics from funeral floristry.
The powerful display featured British-grown flowers bursting from a willow coffin into a natural graveyard scene, with details such as a floral violin, posy basket, and wreath of living plants. It was created by a team of florists and flower farmers from across the UK — all committed to environmentally responsible funeral flowers.
Visitors, including Alan Titchmarsh, were invited to reflect on their own funeral wishes by writing them on colourful tags that read “I’d like my funeral to be…” and tying them to the display’s boundary. The content of the tags will be shared with us after the show, which I believe will be very insightful, and will help us better understand what people’s funeral wishes are.
This achievement highlights the growing interest in sustainable funeral options and showcases the importance of thoughtful, personal tributes that tread lightly on the earth.
We’re proud to have supported this historic and inspiring installation and hope it continues to open conversations across our sector.
To learn more, visit: www.farewellflowers.co.uk, or read further national press coverage here: Chelsea Flower Show visitors break down in tears over ‘moving’ funeral display in a festival first | Daily Mail Online
