ICCM sponsors first-ever funeral floristry exhibit at Chelsea Flower Show
The installation was described as ‘an artistic interpretation of a funeral scene’, which had at its centre a display of garden flowers bursting from a willow coffin

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The Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM) was the lead sponsor of The Farewell Flowers Directory’s first-ever funeral floristry exhibit at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
It comes after the not-for-profit initiative, which aims to eliminate plastic from funeral floristry, was invited to an exhibit at the flower show’s Great Pavilion last week.
The installation was described as “an artistic interpretation of a funeral scene”, which had at its centre a display of garden flowers bursting from a willow coffin carried aloft on white birch pallbearers.
By using only British-grown seasonal flowers and foliage, this sustainable installation curated by The Farewell Flowers Directory “challenged traditional views on funeral tributes” by avoiding floral foam and single-use plastic to promote eco-conscious options.
The florists behind the exhibit are all members of The Farewell Flowers Directory and experienced flower farmers: Gill Hodgson MBE of Fieldhouse Flowers (Yorkshire); Carole Patilla of Tuckshop Flowers (Birmingham); Georgie Newbery of Common Farm Flowers (Somerset); and Nicola Hill of Gentle Blooms (Warwickshire).
Mathew Crawley, chief executive of the ICCM, said: “We are extremely happy to have sponsored this pioneering installation at Chelsea, which aligns perfectly with our environmental values. For over 20 years, the ICCM has championed sustainability through our metal recycling scheme, and now we are proud to help raise awareness of eco-friendly funeral flowers.
“By supporting this exhibit, we are helping to demonstrate that tributes can be both deeply personal and gentle on the planet.”
Gill Hodgson MBE, co-founder of The Farewell Flowers Directory, added: “Funeral flowers don’t have to look funereal – they can be anything you want them to be. At Chelsea, we wanted to show that people have a choice. You can honour a life with something natural, seasonal, and meaningful – and you can do it sustainably.”
The exhibit was also supported by Green Funeral Flowers by Tuckshop Flowers, New Covent Garden Flower Market, and Workplace Bereavement.