Foliage from RHS Gardens adorned High Altar for Coronation

Seasonal flowers and foliage from all over the United Kingdom arrived at Westminster Abbey, ahead of the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on 6 May 2023. The flowers were provided by Flowers from the Farm, a non-profit association that champions artisan growers of sustainably-grown cut flowers, with foliage from the RHS adorning the High Altar.

See flowers and foliage being collected from RHS Gardens

The High Altar

Boughs cut from flowering shrubs and trees from the five RHS Gardens across the British Isles adorned the High Altar, including branches from the pair of Dawyck beech trees planted by the late Queen Elizabeth II and the late Duke of Edinburgh at RHS Garden Wisley in 1978. Among the seasonal foliage there was also crab apple blossom, Amelanchier, camellia, acer, hazel, rhododendron, and azalea arranged alongside beech cut from an ancient cluster of trees at RHS Garden Bridgewater, which would have been visited by Queen Victoria when it was part of the landscape of the Worsley New Hall.

Bedecked in blooms from across the country

From the Isle of Skye to the coast of Cornwall, and from the mountains of Eryri (Snowdonia) to Tobermore in Northern Ireland, more than 120 varieties of flowers had been grown sustainably by more than 80 members of Flowers from the Farm on farmland, allotments and cutting gardens across the four nations of the United Kingdom. 

The arrangements, designed by Shane Connolly & Co, reflected Their Majesties’ deep affection for the natural world and their shared passion for gardening, and showcased the best of the British countryside in the spring, inspired by the richness of Westminster Abbey. The flowers and foliage were arranged using sustainable techniques, without the use of single use plastics or floral foam.

The Great West Door

Primula veris ‘cowslip’

At the Great West Door of Westminster Abbey a pair of tall yew topiaries were underplanted with a meadow of wild grasses and cowslips, primroses and violets. Following the Coronation, the yews were replanted in the new biodiverse topiary garden at Sandringham, as a lasting reminder of the day.

The Grave of the Unknown Warrior

Convallaria majalis ‘lily of the valley’

Echoing the colourful British wildflower meadow seen on the hand-painted invitations to Their Majesties’ Coronation, fresh spring flowers that are symbolic of remembrance framed the grave of the Unknown Warrior. These included sprigs of rosemary, bay for virtue, bluebells and forget me nots for constancy of love, daffodils for chivalry, cowslips, cornflowers for refinement, lilac for memories of youth, and lily of the valley and auriculas, which both appeared in Her Majesty’s bouquet for Their Majesties’ wedding in 2005.

The Quire

Helleborus (hellebores) are said to be a particular favourite of the King

Two floral installations of seasonal, sustainably grown flowers from all four nations of the United Kingdom were positioned at either side of the Quire, surrounding the entrance to the Coronation Theatre, where the majority of the service took place. The colour palette has been influenced by the rich golds, burgundies, purples, pinks and reds of the High Altar and the Cosmati Pavement, as well as Their Majesties’ Robes of State and Estate. The installations featured hellebores – a particular favourite of the King, which appeared in His Majesty’s wedding buttonhole in 2005, alongside honeysuckle, tulips, Ranunculus, blossom, jasmine, and Aquilegia, which is an ancient symbol of the Holy Spirit, with foliage of rosemary, birch, bay and hazel, and wild broom grown on the Isle of Skye.

Following the Coronation, all the flowers and branches were donated to Floral Angels, a charity that repurposes flowers from events into bouquets and arrangements to share with care homes, hospices, shelters and other vulnerable members of the community. Floral Angels is run entirely by volunteers, and Her Majesty is their Patron.