Downton Abbey at Kew Gardens
Janette & Deirdre travelled to London recently for an incredible floral extravaganza, working with super talented florists, Janette & Deirdre worked along side multi award wining floral artist Yan Skates
What is and who are Fleurs de Villes?
Fleurs de Villes is a globally recognized phenomenon founded by Tina Barkley and Karen Marshall, they transforms public spaces into stunning floral exhibitions, known for their breathtaking bespoke flower events. What sets them apart is their dedication to showcasing the brilliant talent of local florists (or fleuristes) in cities across the world, creating compelling, authentic experiences for audiences. Best known for their exquisite, life-sized floral mannequins and installations, Fleurs de Villes tells stories through the medium of flowers, often through unique collaborations with leading brands and cultural institutions.
This dedication to floral theatre is exactly what drew us in, and today we’re taking you behind the scenes of one of their most celebrated shows: the Fleurs de Villes PRÊT-À-PORTE or Downton Abbey exhibition! Get ready to hear all about our incredible experience working alongside the talented Yan Skates to bring a piece of Highclere Castle's grandeur to life at the beautiful Kew Gardens.
Our Unforgettable Floral Adventure with Yan Skates
Our day at Kew Gardens started bright and early—a pre-dawn 6 a.m. arrival to meet up with Yan Skates and his amazing crew: Sarah, Janette, and Deirdre. We were buzzing with energy, but the fun started immediately when we realised we’d completely missed the memo on the day’s dress code!
Apparently, the florists were all meant to be wearing black. Seriously! Let's just say our colourful attire made us the absolute opposite of undercover. We certainly didn't blend in, but the mix-up gave everyone a great laugh and set a wonderfully relaxed tone for a busy day of creating floral art.
Floating the Titanic: The Jack & Rose Mannequins
We jumped straight into our first and biggest construction challenge: a floating boat installation featuring Jack and Rose mannequins. Since this piece was displayed outdoors on the pond at Kew Gardens, we had to strictly use faux flowers and foliage. This was essential to prevent any risk of cross-pollination with the garden's precious plant collections.
While it was a departure from fresh florals, the faux allowed us great creative freedom! With an abundance of chicken wire and cable ties, our main job was to anchor Jack and Rose securely inside the boat—making sure they could survive any unexpected storms! We then layered on the faux flowers and foliage, transforming the boat into a romantic, shipwrecked masterpiece.
We did have one minor emergency: Jack's arm unexpectedly popped off during positioning! Given the tight space, reattaching it was impossible. A quick fix was needed, so we fashioned Jack a brand new, sturdy arm out of chicken wire. Crisis averted—and no one was the wiser!
The final step was all on Yan. Donning the waders and braving the pond (which, when disturbed, was admittedly quite foul-smelling—oops!), he ventured out to float the boat into its final position and secure it with weights. The result was a stunning, highly commented-upon installation that fooled many visitors who couldn’t believe the beautiful florals were actually faux!
Crafting the Thomas Barrow Floral Mannequin
With the floating boat complete, we moved indoors for our next challenge: bringing Thomas Barrow to life in flowers. (For the uninitiated, Thomas starts Downton Abbey as an ambitious, conniving footman known for his sharp wit and scheming personality).
We were under pressure to finish this piece and clear the workspace by the 4 p.m. deadline. Although Sarah and Yan had much of the groundwork prepared, the fine details required a flurry of activity from the team.
Deirdre meticulously finished Thomas’s floral jacket, which couldn't be mounted until the last minute. Jan and Janette worked on the delicate skeleton leaves for his lapel, while Sarah focused on decorating his shirt and waistcoat. Yan took responsibility for the most crucial detail: the hair. Thomas truly came to life under his hands, sculpted using mounds of floral glue.
Once the mannequin was positioned on the display stand, Yan’s sinister inspiration became fully visible. He used winding vines to symbolize the snaking telephone wires Thomas often used for his devious gossip and schemes. Yan also incorporated various "poisonous" blooms, such as the gloriousa lily, to visually depict Thomas's toxic traits and complicated nature. Set meticulously in water vials and Agra wool, Yan’s dark, brilliant vision was complete just in time.
The weekend culminated with a Sunday evening reception hosted by Tina and Karen, where the results of the official judging were revealed. To our delight, Yan was awarded runner-up in the Most Creative category—a recognition we felt was truly earned. Having secured a quick change of clothes from our colourful daytime attire back at the Air BnB, we enjoyed the evening drinks and the opportunity to view more of the finished pieces and network with all the incredible florists involved in this exhibition.
Standing among the complete floral mannequins, we were simply astounded by the incredible design, meticulous skill, and wild imagination displayed by every florist. Our photos are featured below, but for a complete and professional gallery, be sure to visit the Fleurs de Villes website and Instagram.
