Simon Lycett, who is known for his sensational floral designs having spent his career designing floral installations ranging from the flowers for the film, Four Weddings and a Funeral, to displays at royal weddings and other high-profile events, joined me soon after the worst of Lockdown was over, for what became a very moving conversation, from Lycett Towers, his headquarters underneath the arches in South London.
We explored the challenges of the past eighteen months as the events industry, and Simon’s business, had disintegrated during that time, and how he found solace and sanctuary in his garden, beginning what he called his ‘Lycett Llves’ - weekday conversations during which he shared what he was up to out there. He says of these that they:
“meant that I had to go brush my hair, wax my moustache, put on some proper clothes, go out into the garden and do what I do, do a bit of presenting … and it gave me a discipline and a purpose; a sense of having created something each day, and it was as absolutely live saving for me”
During the early part of Lockdown Simon was in LA filming ‘Full Bloom’, the US tv hit series he was hosting and judging and recently aired on More 4 (it’s still available on Catch up), how it came about via a DM on Instagram and the challenge of filming whilst managing the Lockdown fallout for his business from LA.
One of Simon’s pet topics is the importance of community gardening and the life changing role nature can play in helping shape young people of all backgrounds, supporting them to build a future and a career and we spoke about this too.
All in all a very rich conversation and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Link for things we mentioned:
Simon’s website and Instagram
Full Bloom on Channel 4
RHS Wisley
The Garden Museum
British Flowers Week
Sarah Venn
The Pothole Gardener
Thrive garden charity
Floral Angels
Sarah Eberle
Diurmuid Gavin
New Covent Garden flower market
Sue Stuart-Smith - The Well Gardened Mind