Thoughts from the studio and the fields exploring design, culture and the rituals and rhythms of living well.
The Practice of Hortus: Cutting Garden Course, September
September is a magical time of year in the cutting garden both visually and physically - wonderful blooms. berries and seedheads coupled with low light and crisper temperatures make for a real sense of the Hortus year turning again and we will follow its path together.
The Practice of Hortus: Cutting Garden Course, June
June is a time of abundance at Hortus when we luxuriate in all the incoming promise of midsummer stems as days lengthen and summer gathers pace. This Day brings you into the heart of that fullness and beauty both enjoying what we have and planning ahead for future blooms beyond midsummer.
The Practice of Hortus: Cutting Garden Course, March
As Spring arrives in the full flood of her beauty and promise, March is an ideal time to start creating a cutting garden for a wonderful palette of summer blooms. This day, led by our Senior grower, Caroline, will give you an insight into what and how we grow at Hortus
Luciano Giubbilei; an English Eye and a Squeeze of Lemon
Giubbilei’s work is often described as architectural, even minimal. But seen through an English eye, what feels most instructive is not the formality of his structures, but the generosity of the space they create.
A Love Letter to the Land
In late winter, when the garden is open and legible, hazel offers itself generously to the hand. Love Letter to the Land is a day devoted to making simple hazel structures: practical, playful and rooted in long English garden traditions. A quiet Valentine’s offering to the land, and to yourself.
John Singer Sargent, Paris
On a recent trip to Paris, I found myself drawn back to John Singer Sargent. Not out of novelty, but out of familiarity — the kind that deepens rather than fades. Visiting the exhibition felt less like discovery and more like returning to a conversation already in progress.
The Story of our Brand
A defining chapter in the Hortus Poeticus story has been the careful work of articulation: clarifying who we are, what we stand for, and the kind of practice we wish to build. At its heart were questions of purpose, audience, and joy — and how that joy might be shared.
Helleborus Orientalis
The hellebore has had something of a renaissance in recent years and is a wonderful cut flower stem, especially valued so early in the year.
The Buttonhole
Once a quiet marker of intention, the buttonhole has become an afterthought. And yet, in its scale and symbolism, it remains one of the most expressive floral gestures within a wedding — a small act of care worn close to the heart.
Heritage & Speciality Narcissi
Narcissi are wonderful Spring flowers running from early March to May during which time the role they play and who they play it with, in vase or arrangement, differs significantly as the cast around them changes.
Special Invitation
We were very please to take part in this highly curated all-sustainable flower festival in the stunning Strawberry Hill House - Horace Walpole’s masterpiece.
Farewell Florals
Our farewell florals are made with sensitivity, experience and care, guided by season, shaped by listening, and created to sit quietly within moments of remembrance.