Flower Power

by Erika Jensen | Riviera San Diego magazine | February 17, 2012

Famed floral designer Shane Connolly is bringing his artful arrangements and flower philosophy to The Village Garden Club of La Jolla’s Meet the Masters series, held at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, followed by a tea at the La Jolla’s Women’s Club on March 8 (villagegardencluboflajolla.com).

We got the exclusive interview with the cheeky London designer who was artistic floral director for the nuptials of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. For the Westminster Abbey wedding, Connolly enlisted a simple, stunning (and sustainable) aisle of maple trees.

The perfect bouquet? For me, that depends on the month. February? A bunch of snowdrops, symbolizing hope. May? A bunch of lily of the valley, symbolizing the return of happiness. But for someone else, anything that they love is right.

Carnations: yay or nay? Carnations can be utterly beautiful. There are amazing and unusual carnations that look like they were pulled from a Dutch still life. I don’t often get the chance to use carnations because of the awful snobbery around them, but I think one shouldn’t rule out any flower because of an unqualified dislike. I detest snobbery of any sort.

If you were a flower? I’d like to be a hellebore. I love their quirkiness. Or I would be an auricula for the same reason. They’re so unusual and individual. Sadly, I am not as delicate and perfectly proportioned as either.

Could the corsage ever make a comeback? Give me the person with real style who could carry it off, and it will be!

For the hostess? A bunch of spring flowers, of course, and preferably from your own garden. Or a planted basket of herbs that she can enjoy and plant later to have for cooking and remembering all year.

Design rule you’ll never break? Never to have any design rules.

Blooming trends? Individuality. I urge you to try it, and ignore the latest trends.

Your next big project? Well, obviously I can only work for imperial families now–they’re one step above royal. Bring me an emperor...

Words to live by? “If in doubt, do” was a motto told to me by a darling cousin when I was about 15. I like that motto.