Travel inspires our resident florist Mark Siredzuk. Will your stay at One Aldwych sow some creative seeds of your own?
Last year I travelled to Japan and would have loved to see the cherry blossom in full bloom. But I missed it! Temperatures were colder than usual, which held the buds back. But the country’s haute-horticulture made up for it. In fact, the different approaches to both gardening and flower arranging around the world can provide enormous inspiration that you can put into practice when you’re back home.
I was very taken with the ‘Niwaki’, trees that have been trained and pruned to resemble clouds – you see them everywhere, even outside people’s front doors. And I particularly loved the way moss is used. Verdant, velvet mounds cushion temple statues and strategically edge pathways. I’ll certainly be bringing more of the magic of moss to my designs for the hotel.
The Japanese also like to use a single flower type or plant in their decorations and I’ve recently filled the hotel’s Library with oak branches and nothing more. In fact, we’ve always branched out here – quite literally, using sustainably sourced twigs and branches to recreate the feeling of trees growing in our indoor spaces. A great example is the enchanted forest we created one Christmas.
And it was lovely to see Japan’s wonderful small flower shops – there are often queues outside, with people buying blooms to give as gifts when meeting up with friends and family. Likewise, at One Aldwych, we consider a floral statement a form of welcome, from the grandest gesture in the Lobby Bar to detailed arrangements in individual rooms and suites.
I’m aware that just as travel inspires me, those who visit us, either from the UK or much farther afield, enjoy creating floral displays in their own homes. If you’re really interested, why not immerse yourself in some of London’s flower markets or parks?
The Columbia Road Flower Market in the East End of London is fantastic, with generations of flower-sellers setting out their stalls on Sundays from 8am until 2pm (ish). There are lots of independent shops and cafés there too. Ask the Concierge for the best travel options to get you across London.
As for parks, Regent’s Park has some impressive and inventive flower beds (take lots of pictures and let the memories help you create something different once you’re back on home turf).
One of my favourite places of all is the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew which is approximately 30 minutes from central London and can be accessed by rail, bus or river. There, you can walk through wonderful and varied areas full of fascinating plants, plus visit the famous pagoda and the world’s largest Victorian glasshouse. There’s even an area called the Japanese Landscape, with Gardens of Peace, Activity and Harmony.
I can’t promise cherry blossom but I can promise you’ll be inspired.
Keep up to date with Mark’s creations via our Instagram.
