The florist known for working on prestigious occasions such as the royal wedding, as well as events at the V&A museum and The Royal Academy of Arts shares an insight into his work.
Originally from Belfast, Shane Connolly is known for being the go-to florist for an incredible list of clients, from Vogue to British royalty, having worked on both Prince William and Catherine’s wedding, and King Charles’ coronation.
With his wealth of knowledge about the industry, as well as his deep love of flowers, Shane will be speaking at The Festival of Gardens and Nature at Ballintubbert House, Co Laois from May 2-3. As part of this weekend celebrating food, gardening, and sustainable living, Shane will join grower Sarah Raven for a talk entitled The Bold and the Beautiful, where they will share their top tips for growing flowers. Here, we chat to Shane about his impressive career.
How did you get started in floristry?
Oddly enough through a passion for gardening. A family friend introduced me to some people who had quite a smart garden in Hertfordshire and they just happened to do flowers for big events. I’d never heard of such a thing and thought florist=shop and so was a bit enchanted. Roll forward several years and I was doing it too!
How would you define your ethos?
Seasonal, seasonal and seasonal. Local and sustainable. Simple and botanical. And hopefully beautiful.
What is your favourite thing about what you do?
The extraordinary places I’ve been and seen are quite mind-blowing sometimes. But my favourite thing really is that I get to showcase nature and the beauty of nature in a world that can be quite ugly and often detached from the earth and the soil.
Do you have a favourite project or event that you’ve worked on?
So many. Different events for different reasons. But I’ll never forget curating an exhibition on Constance Spry for the Garden Museum in 2021. I suppose my flower career led to that but I also relished the chance to show other aspects of creativity and research.
Do you have a favourite flower?
Every season I change. Currently it’s Lily of the Valley which is in season and is a perennial favourite of mine.
Are there any plants or flowers you recommend people grow themselves to cut?
I always suggest anything that flowers in the Winter. Viburnum Bodnentense, wintersweet (chimonanthus) and winter honeysuckle. You cannot underestimate the joy of a spring of something scented and flowering in the dark days of winter. Summer is so much easier.
What are you most looking forward to in The Festival of Gardens and Nature this year?
Being back home in Ireland!
To see the full schedule and find out more, visit festivalofgardensandnature.com.