A Q&A with Neill Strain

For the Motcomb Street display, how did you approach interpreting “Fairy Tales in Belgravia” in a more architectural, public setting?

The Motcomb Street installation presented a very different creative opportunity to the boutique display. The architecture of the building itself became the starting point for the design. Sitting elegantly above the pavement with its colonnade of pillars, it already possesses a slightly theatrical quality, almost like the entrance to a hidden secret garden or enchanted woodland passageway.

We wanted to soften and transform the structure using layers of trailing foliage, Wisteria and organic planting so that it felt as though nature had slowly reclaimed the building over time. The idea was to create a magical fairytale walkway where visitors could physically move through the installation and feel immersed within it, rather than simply viewing it from afar.

The result is something that feels romantic, escapist and quietly cinematic within the streetscape of Belgravia.

How did the theme of “Fairy Tales in Belgravia” shape your initial vision, and where did the idea of creating a Bluebell meadow as the heart of the installation begin?

The theme immediately transported me back to childhood memories of wandering through bluebell woods in Ireland during springtime. There is something deeply magical and almost otherworldly about a carpet of bluebells beneath a woodland canopy. It feels like stepping into a hidden fairytale world.

The inspiration also came from our ‘Bluebell Serenade’ fragranced candle, which was created to capture the atmosphere of a misty woodland morning filled with wild bluebells, soft light and damp moss underfoot. I was drawn to the idea of bringing that dreamlike feeling into the heart of Belgravia and transforming the façade of the boutique into an immersive floral storybook moment.

We wanted the installation to feel whimsical and enchanting, yet still refined and elegant in a way that felt true to Belgravia. The bluebell meadow became the emotional centre of the design, creating a sense of escapism and inviting passers-by to pause, dream and reconnect with nature, even in the middle of London.

Compared to the more immersive, sensory experience at the boutique, how do you adapt your design approach for a public streetscape where people are passing through?

When designing for a public streetscape, it is important that the installation has immediate visual impact while still rewarding people who stop and look more closely.

The Motcomb Street installation needed to work from multiple viewpoints and create a strong sense of atmosphere for people simply passing through the area, while also encouraging moments of interaction and discovery. The scale, movement and layering of the planting became especially important in achieving this.

We also considered how people physically move through the space. Rather than being a static display, the installation becomes part of the streetscape itself, allowing visitors to walk beneath it and feel momentarily transported into another world.

You are widely recognised as a Floral Couturier, yet many may be less familiar with your fragranced candle collection – with ‘Bluebell Serenade’ playing a pivotal role in this year’s ‘Belgravia in Bloom’ installation, what inspired the scent, and how did its evocation of a misty woodland morning shape the overall atmosphere?

Fragrance has always been just as important to me as flowers. Long before I created candles, I was fascinated by the emotional power of scent and the way it can instantly transport you back to a moment in time.

‘Bluebell Serenade’ was inspired by memories of walking through bluebell woods in Ireland during May, when the forest floor would transform into a sea of violet-blue blooms. There is a freshness in the air at that time of year that is almost impossible to describe. Damp earth, woodland moss, crushed stems, soft florals and morning dew all mingling together.

When designing the installation, I wanted to recreate that same feeling of quiet wonder and escapism. The florals, planting and colour palette were all informed by the atmosphere of the fragrance itself, allowing the visual and olfactory elements to work together as one immersive experience.

How can locals best immerse themselves in our ‘Belgravia in Bloom’ experience, either in-store or through the display?

I would encourage people to truly explore the neighbourhood and follow the trail of installations throughout Belgravia. So much creativity, craftsmanship and effort goes into bringing the festival to life each year, and it is a wonderful opportunity to discover and support the incredible independent businesses that make the neighbourhood so special.

We also warmly invite visitors into the boutique to experience the installation more closely and discover the ‘Bluebell Serenade’ fragrance in-store. Belgravia in Bloom is about far more than flowers. It is about community, creativity and celebrating the unique character of the neighbourhood.

Finally, across both installations, what does “Fairy Tales in Belgravia” mean to you personally, and how has it allowed you to push your creative vision this year?

For me, “Fairy Tales in Belgravia” has been about creating moments of wonder, escapism and emotional connection through nature, storytelling and atmosphere.

In many ways, it allowed us to lean further into the cinematic and immersive side of our creative language, blending floristry, set design, fragrance and lighting into complete sensory experiences. Both installations explore different interpretations of enchantment, one intimate and nostalgic, the other architectural and theatrical.

I have always believed that flowers have the power to transport people emotionally, and this year’s theme gave us the freedom to push that idea even further in a way that felt imaginative, romantic and deeply rooted in storytelling.