Floral Displays in the Abbey and Buckingham Palace

Prince William and Miss Middleton have chosen London-based floral designer Shane Connolly to create the floral displays for their wedding on April 29th. Mr. Connolly has directed a team of florists, including Westminster Abbey's and Buckingham Palace's florists, and florists individually chosen by the Couple, to create the floral displays at the Abbey and for Buckingham Palace.

Mr. Connolly was chosen by the Couple owing to his reputation for producing elegant and unique displays, and for his creative approach which focuses on using seasonal, natural and organic flowers. Mr. Connolly is also well known for his sustainable approach to floristry, which incorporates as much as possible the use of growing, rather than cut, plants and trees.

The Couple have taken a close interest in the designs, which follows a theme that pays tribute to the Language of Flowers.

The floral displays in Westminster Abbey feature a variety of seasonal growing and cut British flowers and trees sourced from Royal Estates and other growers around the country. The flowers and plants include blossoms, azaleas, rhododendron, euphorbias, beech, wisteria and lilac.

The floral displays in the Abbey will include eight 20 feet-high trees: six English Field Maple and two Hornbeam. All the trees will be growing in planters, which have also been designed by Mr. Connolly and which were made by craftsmen at Highgrove, The Prince of Wales's Residence in Gloucestershire.

After the wedding, the flowers and plants will be left in position in Westminster Abbey for the public to view until Friday 6th May 2011. Following this, many of the trees will be taken to Highgrove Gardens, where they will be planted. The Couple's intention is that many of the cut plants and flowers and all the growing plants will be donated to charities or re-planted.

Notes to editors

• The trees, plants and flowers are being sourced from the Saville Gardens and Valley Gardens in Windsor Great Park, Sandringham Estate and other English growers.

• Shane Connolly
  
  Shane Connolly was born and raised in Northern Ireland. He has a lifelong passion for gardening and plants. After reading Psychology at university, he had a complete career change and trained under London's leading floral designers. He set up his business in 1989. Mr. Connolly has worked on a number of events for The Prince of Wales's Household. He was asked by The Duchess of Cornwall to design her bouquet and all the flowers for her marriage to The Prince of Wales in 2005. The company was awarded a Royal Warrant of Appointment to HRH The Prince of Wales in 2006. Shane has written three books. For more information visit www.shaneconnolly.co.uk.

• Highgrove Garden
  
  The Prince of Wales has over the last 30 years transformed the grounds of his country residence Highgrove into inspired and innovative gardens. The Prince's strict adherence to organic and sustainable methods has helped create gardens which are both magical and intriguing while being environmentally sound, encouraging both plants and wildlife to thrive. Thirty thousand visitors tour the gardens every year. All the proceeds from the garden tours are donated to the Prince's Charities Foundation. For more information about the Highgrove Gardens visit www.highgrovegardens.com.

• National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies (NAFAS)
  

Six members of NAFAS will also be helping Shane Connolly and his team to decorate Westminster Abbey. NAFAS members have arranged the flowers for special occasions at Westminster Abbey for many years. For more information visit www.nafas.org.uk.

[Source : officialroyalwedding2011.org]