This has been a great year for Kitten Grayson, the talented florist well known, both via social media and in the real world, for her refined yet wild stunning blooms. In 2018, Kitten created an Eternal Garden installation at the entrance to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and has designed the cuttings garden and floral style at Heckfield Place, the notorious new English country house hotel. She is the founding partner of Kitten Grayson Flowers, a London based studio that creates romantic and nostalgic unique floral arrangements and installations. She works alongside the studio’s Creative Director Harriette Tebutt and both share a commitment to sustainability.
Kitten Grayson at Heckfield Place

In a special interview, Kitten discusses the podcasts that make her laugh, the film that makes her cry and Gurls Talk, the online community for young women.
Kitten Grayson Florist

My favourite website... Oudolf - I am an eternal fan of Piet Oudolf. I’ve been lucky enough to work with him a few times. He is the most charming, modest and quite brilliant man. His website is constantly updated with examples of his work, which I love and find incredibly inspiring. I find myself going back to it again and again. His film on the Five Seasons is so beautiful; it makes me cry.

My favourite app... Gardens Illustrated - It is always a useful and interesting resource, full of wonderful, beautiful things.

My blog of choice... Inside Inside - I love the spaces – calming canvases to excite the imagination.

My internet hero... I have huge admiration for Skye Gyngell - She has such a distinctive, authentic style and clear voice that comes across as well online as it does in person.

My favourite podcasts... At the moment I’m loving Cultivating Places, the healing powers of gardens,Happy Place by Fearne Cotton,The High Low by Pandora Sykes and Dolly Alderton are all hilarious, they make me roar with laughter.

My most recent buy online... 26,000 tulip bulbs from J.Parkers for Heckfield Place.

Book just downloaded/ read… “Trees That Shape The World” by Tom Petherick. I’ve always felt a strong connection with trees and nature. They play an incredibly important part in my daily life. So it’s fascinating to read about the relationship trees have with other people, mankind as a whole, and the role they have in all our lives, in all parts of the world.

Favourite tweeter... I’m not much of a tweeter but I do keep an eye on my friend, Adwoa Aboah. She is always upbeat and inspirational. Her GurlsTalk community is such a brilliant, empowering thing. She is doing important work for a cause I feel very strongly about.

Social media allowed me to meet... Jane Scotter who runs the farm @FernVerrow. Such delicate, sensuous images! I’ve been lucky enough to work really closely with Jane over the last few months at Heckfield Place, and I’m learning so much about nature, the seasons, farming, biodynamic practices and gardening generally from her. She is an utterly wonderful lady whom I adore and admire enormously. Truly, she has alchemy in her fingertips.

Social media allowed me to meet… lots of our beautiful brides.

Most worthwhile newsletter subscribed to... Shane Connolly who is leading the charge on foam-free, sustainable floristry. He is a truly delightful man, even at the market at 4 a.m. Rakes Progress Magazine and Summerill and Bishop are always a pleasure to delve into.

Pet hate about life online... That it distracts us from what is in front of us. Sometimes I find myself so busy trying to take a photo with my phone or post something online that I forget to watch, listen, smell... and simply enjoy the moment.

Stand out online memory… The Kitten Grayson Flowers website going live in January 2017 was quite thrilling. It was an exciting, wonderful, pinch-me moment. And one completely mortifying unmentionable moment when I realised I’d posted something by mistake and couldn’t get it down fast enough for panicky breathlessness and thumbs instead of fingers... Wish I could forget that one!

December 2018