Industry News

Students at East Durham College received expert guidance from one of the UK’s most celebrated florists during a special visit to the college’s Houghall Campus yesterday (19 March).

Renowned floral designer Simon Lycett—known for his work on royal events, with high-profile clients including Elton John, and his role as an ambassador for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show was on campus for the day following the recent announcement that the college will be proudly representing the North East region at RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May.

During the visit, Simon reviewed students’ ideas, offered professional insight, and shared expertise gained from working at the very highest level of floristry. His involvement provided a rare and exciting opportunity for learners to receive invaluable feedback as they prepare for one of the world’s most famous horticultural showcases.

The energy on campus was in full bloom as staff, students and sponsors including MKM Durham, Durham Parish Council, Jewson’s, the National Trust andBon Bloeman gathered for the day, gaining a unique behind-the-scenes insight into the creative process.

The day fostered meaningful conversations, strengthening connections between learners and industry supporters while deepening the understanding of the journey from initial idea to final installation. With the day also highlighting the exceptional talent emerging from the region, creating a strong platform for showcasing local skills on a national stage.

Scott Bullock, Principal and Chief Executive of East Durham College said:

“We were incredibly proud to have welcomed Simon Lycett to East Durham College. His visit has provided our students with an invaluable opportunity to learn from one of the very best in the industry.

Experiences like this not only inspire creativity but also build confidence as our learners prepare to showcase their talents on a national stage at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

We are grateful to our staff and sponsors for supporting these opportunities and helping our students achieve their full potential.”

Attended by tens of thousands of visitors each year, including members of the Royal Family and leading industry figures, RHS Chelsea Flower Show is internationally recognised for excellence in horticulture and design, attracting leading designers, growers and floral artists from across the globe.

To be selected is a significant achievement and reflects the exceptional standard of teaching, creativity and technical skill within the College’s Floristry department - making participation a highly sought-after honour for any college, designer, or garden enthusiast.

Author, TV presenter, and RHS Ambassador for Floristry, Simon Lycett is a renowned UK-based celebrity and event florist known for bold, imaginative floral displays for high-profile weddings, royal events, and television.

During the visit Simon commented:

“After being made an RHS Ambassador for floristry and floral art back in 2022 and the team asked me if I wanted to become a judge and I said no I don’t want to become a judge, I want to become a mentor because I’m getting old and we need more florists – and how fabulous to be up here amongst so may florists of every age, I’ve never seen such a brilliant gathering of creatives.

The designs they are working on are so exciting as they exactly fit the brief, what they are creating is so unique and each of them has come to it with their own ideas and thoughts, it’s become a fascinating and very collaborative project between the students and the floristry team, and it’s using lots of different techniques – it’s going to be a phenomenal showcase of the fabulous world of being a florist.”

Simon added, “Being a florist is so rewarding, working with flowers and plant material - we have to encourage and support all these artists across the country who are the florists that work really hard up in flower shops up and down the country and when you want flowers for a wedding or a funeral you don’t want to go online – you want to talk to the person who is going to make it – so we need florists forever.”

As one of the North East's few land-based colleges, Houghall Campus plays a crucial role in advancing the region's green and rural skills agenda. The campus develops expertise across key sectors including agriculture, animal management, arboriculture, horticulture and conservation. It also provides accessible, high-quality training opportunities for rural communities and works closely with employers and environmental organisations to deliver industry-led programmes to meet evolving needs.