Floral designer Chrissie Wiltshire will be bringing a distinctly British, field-to-display approach to styling, rooted in locality, seasonality and a firm commitment to ‘grown, not flown’ to all Country Living's summer shows this year.
She'll also be working closely with James and the team at Flowers by Clowance – a hub for British blooms and foliage – for all the upcoming 2026 shows.
At Badminton Horse Trials (6-10 May), things start off soft and romantic, with a palette that drifts from crisp whites through to gentle blush pinks. The Pavilion entrance will be dressed with layers of spring foliage of beech, alder, apple and white leaf, woven through with cow parsley, tulips and alstroemeria to mirror floral hedgerows at their peak – for a very natural, seasonal look. We’re also working with local grower Alison Beadle of Stem and Ginger who will be adding in her beautiful blooms.
Although kicking off just a day later, RHS Malvern Spring Festival (7-10 May) will showcase a more vibrant spring spectrum of yellows, blues, mauves and purples with flashes of orange (well, it is a flower show, after all!). Here, blossom-heavy foliage such as honeysuckle, weigela and spirea will sit alongside tulips, allium, geum and cornflower. Featured local grower Meg Edmunds of Roots Family Farm Shop will be bringing along her signature sweet peas and spring bulbs, championing beautifully scented, British-grown flowers with a ‘garden-gathered’ feel.
For the Defender Bramham Horse Trials (11-14 June), we’re leaning into early summer abundance. Think rich green and copper tones of beech foliage paired with spindleberry, cornflower, brodea and sweet william for something bright, playful and full of life. Local growers Sammie’s Flowers and Northern Lavender will be supplying their signature cut flowers and plants, with gorgeous lavender making an appearance too.
Finally, at Defender Burghley Horse Trials (3-6 September) it’s all about late-summer richness. Dahlias will take centre stage, supported by gladioli, asters, zinnia, cosmos and amaranthus in jewel-like tones. Vanessa Brown of Barnyard Flowers will be bringing in these bold, textural stems, full of colour, character and seasonal drama
Across all four shows, the focus stays firmly on seasonal British flowers, grown locally and arranged with care. It’s a real celebration of what’s in bloom at the time of year. And once each show wraps, the plants won’t go to waste – they’ll be donated to charity Scrubditch Care Farm, so they can be enjoyed long after the crowds have gone.
