Philippa Craddock
MY LIFE IN TEN... THE CELEBRATED FLORIST SHARES THE THINGS THAT INSPIRE HER
1. British fashion designer Phoebe Philo is my design heroine. I love her minimalist, feminine aesthetic, tonal palette and the quiet practicality that informs her work.
2. Flowers I love to combine are orlaya, scabiosa, didiscus and cow parsley. These whites seen together are delicate yet complex.
3. Super quality, small batch coffee beans are a little luxury I can’t live without – but I stick to just one espresso early in the morning.
4. I don’t work with flowers to a rule book but I do look at how plants grow - for example, hellebores that bow gently work perfectly on the edge of larger arrangements.
5. My husband and children have given me an artist’s easel, canvases and oil paints. I haven’t painted seriously since school and it means so much to start again.
6. I love to visit Aesop shops for the aesthetics and wonderful architectural details as much as their skincare products.
7. The Victoria and Albert Museum is a building I find emotionally moving. I’m awed by its scale and the quietness of the space. It was the first London venue to appoint me onto its preferred supplier list for flowers at its events.
8. I love gardens that aren’t over-designed – Trebah Garden in Cornwall is a great example with the bonus of a beach for swimming.
9. I read cookery books to be inspired by cooks who instinctively know what works together and recently enjoyed Flavour by Ottolenghi.
10. My best meal was at Marle, Heckfield Place, led by Skye Gyngell. The grilled scallops and roasted pumpkin were truly memorable.