Florist’s design blooms for royals
Victoria shop 14 years older than Queen chosen to create wreath for Kate
If Brown’s The Florist owner Natasha Crawford and her staff seemed busier and more excited than usual on Friday afternoon, it was for good reason.
They were continuing what has become a tradition at Victoria’s oldest locally owned professional florist shop — creating eyecatching creations for royalty.
Brown’s The Florist was selected by the office of protocol to create the wreath that Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, will carry and lay at the cenotaph during this afternoon’s service at the legislature.
“This is our opportunity to welcome to British Columbia the next generation of royalty,” said Crawford, the fifth owner of the florist shop that created flower bouquets for the Queen during the Victoria Commonwealth Games in 1994 and during the monarch’s visit in October 2002. It did the same for Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, when they visited in November 2009.
“I suppose it’s because we’ve been in town the longest,” said Crawford, whose shop was established in 1912. “We’re 14 years older than the Queen.”
Crawford said she felt honoured that organizers of the visit by Prince William, Kate and their children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, would choose to support a local business rather than doing everything in-house.
“It’s a pretty big deal to think that what we are making, the Duchess will be carrying,” said Crawford, whose staff was equally flattered that they were given the artistic freedom to design the wreath.
Tammy Candela, who has worked for Brown’s since 1998 and manages the downtown store, came up with the design after observing wreaths the Duchess carried on tours of India, Singapore and New Zealand.
“It’s interesting that we weren’t just asked to follow directions,” said Crawford, who describes the design as “clean and contemporary.”
It features roses from Brentwood Bay’s Eurosa Gardens.
The greenery features locally grown salal in a nod to B.C.’s First Nations, and the nosegay Candela also designed features locally grown flowers, with a colour palette they hope will complement whatever Kate wears.
“We haven’t been privy to the colours,” Crawford said. “They gave us examples of works she has carried in the past, leaving it up to us. They just said: ‘We trust you.’ ”
Candela and veteran floral designer Harriet Carter began working on the royal creations early Friday afternoon, beginning a process that would take five hours.
“You don’t just YouTube this stuff,” said Crawford, explaining why her most experienced designers are working on it.
“It will look very simple from the outside, though. It won’t look like it reflects that amount of handiwork.”
Creative considerations include the wreath’s weight, said Crawford, who has owned Brown’s since 2007.
“It can be quite heavy. And if you look at photos of her carrying the wreaths, she usually carries them back to front,” Crawford said, explaining why it requires so much attention to detail.
“From our perspective, it’s important for it to be beautiful on both sides.”
Staff of the shop that has often created wreaths for the military were also proud that the wreath will be placed at the cenotaph in honour of war veterans whose sacrifices are humbling, Crawford said.