Designing my winning Chelsea Flower Show 2017 Cushion 'Chelsea Cosmos'
mairi helena flower photography scotland
Hip hip hooray it's the Royal Horticultural Society's Chelsea Flower Show season and this brings a huge smile to my face! It conjures images of beautiful blooming flower heads, a haze of horticultural wonders, clever contemporary garden design, stunning flower arrangements and sensational displays from the best of the country's horticultural producers. I've never actually visited the show in person but eagerly await the coverage on the TV where you can almost smell the floral scents wafting across the screen!Mairi Helena Flower Photography and the inspiration behind my 'Chelsea Cosmos' Cushion Cover on display at Chelsea Flower Show via Bridgman FurnitureThere's something very transfixing about surrounding yourself with flowers....I found this when visiting the lavender fields of Provence last year for example. scents, the haze of colour, it's nostalgic!
lavender fields, photographing colour, mairi helena, capturing colour
Photographing the Lavender Fields of Provence
mairi helena photographing lavender fields and flowers
This year I'm even more excited as I have a cushion design on show right in the heart of the Chelsea flower festival! Earlier this year I entered a competition hosted by Bridgman Furniture who had invited me to enter their annual cushion competition, with a brief to create a floral outdoor cushion cover, the winning design to be showcased at the iconic Chelsea Flower Show 2017. The brief was to create a pattern inspired by vibrant shades, floral prints or the Pantone Colour of the Year – Greenery. All designs were encouraged to be as creative, abstract and as detailed as possible.So I entered with a design I named 'Chelsea Cosmos' and after a round of public voting and judges voting, I was delighted to find out my design was declared the winner earlier this year!
mairi helena winning chelsea flower show cushion design
Mairi Helena Winning Cushion Design for Chelsa Flower Show
Chelsea Flower Show for me embraces colour and is a unique display of nature’s vibrant palette in all its glory. Therefore I wanted to design a print that exuded bright hues, energy and joy. My design takes inspiration from my regular travels to my local Royal Botanical Gardens Edinburgh as well as adventures to friends flower gardens and features cosmos flowers, peacock feathers, silks, watercolour, lichens as well as textures taken from the earthy forest floors underfoot.
mairi helena flower photography
I design in layers to draw in the inquisitive eye. By introducing novel colour combinations I hope this cushion introduces a splash of 'in vogue vibrancy' into any garden living space.
mairi helena winning chelsea flower show cushion design
If you're lucky enough to be visiting Chelsea Flower Show this year, then do head to the Bridgman stand, take a photo of my cushion and make sure you send it my way! I'd be delighted to see it on location! The cushion is going to be on display to the public and may even go into production, if so, the proceeds of which will go to the Chelsea Flower Show's chosen charity. I'm going to be in London this Tuesday and Wednesday so may have to have a peep over the fence...or even just to take in the buzz and hubbub, sights and smells which may waft over the fence anyway!Have a very happy Chelsea Flower Show Week!