TIPPING POINT
Humanity is over-reliant on plastics, pollutants, and fossil fuels, rapidly reaching the point of no return in being able to stop the damage they have made. We have reached a tipping point.
But all is not yet lost. A growing global community is working to find new solutions and driving positive action to reverse climate change. And they need your help.
The exhibit
Tipping Point is an unusual take on the entry category. An oil drum has been lifted into the air by a large column, hand woven with willow stems and bramble vines. Tipped over, the drum pours an ombré of floral colour; from purple and blue pearlescent-like hues evocative of oil, through to brighter blooms which hit the floor, curling and reclaimed by the growth of a tornado of brambles. The brambles swirl upwards, depicting the ability of nature to fight back, eventually tipping the drum and providing a bold message that we need to act to save the planet.
It's a powerful visual statement, an ongoing cycle and struggle between damage and repair, the polluters versus the saviours. One of these will break the cycle and dominate, and we play a role in who does, that is of course if we want future generations to have a thriving and healthy world to live in.
The floristry
There are a range of specialist techniques brought to life in our Tipping Point installation, from the woven construction of the bramble and willow structure, the floral cascade and preservation of dandelion heads, to the design principles and aesthetics of the overall piece.
Our mix of flowers is wide-ranging in colour and species including: Achillia, Ammi, Aquilegia, Argyranthemum, Celosia, Cynara, Dianthus, Echinacea, Geum, Hydrangea, Limoneum, Lupinus, Nigella, Oxypitalum, Peonia, Rosa and Scabiosa.
The bramble tornado uses a woven willow substrate, with around 500m of vine used in the construction (and a good amount of sticking plasters for scratched skin).
We like to challenge ourselves in the materials we use and bring in the most varied elements of nature in all our work. Brambles are often seen as aggressive invaders, growing up to 10cm per day and rooting at both the base and tip of the plant! For us however, they provide a unique material to create organic, impactful structures.
Sustainability
Everything in our installation is sustainable. The drum is held up by some top secret steelwork which will be used for other projects, along with our woven willow and bramble tower.
Flowers are watered via chicken wire pockets filled with biodegradable compost bags containing wet sphagnum moss. The wire will be reused, as will the moss.
All our fastenings are natural and biodegradable, and all natural materials we don't reuse will be recycled - Petals into wedding confetti and waste into garden compost.
What's more, our entire RHS Chelsea project has been carbon offset through the Ecologi platform.
Play your part
Each one of us can help to fight climate change; through simple habits around the use of fuels and climate-negative products at home to supporting those working to find ways forward in reversing it. Advocacy can be powerful too, and the more people that are vocal about the issues our planet faces, the greater the movement for change becomes. There are many highly proactive organisations online you can take a look at to find out more, and here are a few to start your advocacy journey.
CLIMATE ACTION NETWORK INTERNATIONAL
https://climatenetwork.org/
PROJECT DRAWDOWN
THE BIOMIMICRY INSTITUTE
Tell us what you think of our installation or get in touch to enquire about using our bespoke master floristry expertise.
100 High Street West, Glossop,
Derbyshire, SK13 8BB, UK
+44 (0)1457 338003