Commissions & achievements of note

After almost two decades, I’ve done some really varied and interesting things!

Here are a few highlights (in reverse chronological order):

Solo Exhibition & Residency. ‘From the Folde - botanical alchemy’ at The Everybody Gallery 2023-4

Embracing winter and the beauty in things most people walk past or discard, I explored the alchemic transformation of botanics into new art forms, celebrated imperfections in nature and encouraged the observer to look at things differently. Unwanted materials were repurposed, the unloved and unexpected transformed into objects of beauty.

more About the exhibition & residency

Foam free installation commission - Edinburgh 2022

After flowering for many hundreds of couples, the last of my weddings was a good one to go out on.

Lowther Castle & Garden Masterclass - 2022

Installations for the press launch of their Rose Garden as well as the subsequent Garden Masterclass event with Dan Pearson. Created entirely from and on site.

Lowther Castle - 2022

Photography commission. Dutch still life images inspired by the Rose Garden for merchandise to retail via the shop.

European Association of Flower Growers - 2021

Guest speaker at inaugural conference.

The Restless Creatives Podcast - co-founder & co-host - 2021

Comfortable chats with inspiring creatives. Our victims guests include a member of Keane, Paula Sutton of Hillhouse Vintage, floral designers Max Gill & Gabriella Salazar; Natasja Sadi of Cake Atelier plus many more - listen here

Sustainable Floristry Network - 2021

Online reference video - foam free floral urn tutorial

Faire magazine - 2021

Twelve page feature - written and photographed by me

Photoshoot Hepworth Gallery - 2021

Jo Malone - Victoria Quarter Leeds

Multiple collaborations

The English Garden Magazine feature - 2020

Read the feature

British Flowers Week - 2020

Foam free window design for New Covent Garden Flower Market to promote British grown flowers

All Creatures Great & Small - Channel 5 TV Christmas Day special - 2020

Multiple urns, pew ends and other florals for the wedding that never was after Helen decided against marrying Hugh.

From Nature to Gallery - 2020

Published an online guide to creating a social media presence and portfolio of your dreams

Image Belle and Beau Fine Art Photography

Harpers Bazaar US - 2019

Featuring ‘The Cloud’.

“A growing band of aesthetes from artists to designers is celebrating the roadside splendor and uncultivated fields in the latest floristry, fabrics, and frocks.”

Britains Best Home Cook - Series 1 BBC1 TV - 2019

Dried floral designs for set

Image BBC

Harpers Bazaar UK - 2019

“Take your floral arrangements to heady new heights by learning how to craft a levitating cumulus cloud of blooms and botanicals worthy of an art gallery or couture show. Having built a successful career from making gravity-defying sculptures and installations for exhibitions and events, Fiona Pickles is organising private workshops in her native Yorkshire or by appointment elsewhere”.

Gangs of London - Sky Atlantic TV - 2019

Fresh floral designs for set

The RHS Chatsworth Flower Show - 2019

Multiple dried & fresh installations; a 15m long fresh flower meadow scape for the fine dining restaurant; fresh table & room flowers for Presidents Lunch.

Hales Hall, Dorset editorial - 2019

Image Belle and Beau Fine Art Photography

Strawberry Hill House flower festival - 2019

Three floor staircase installation.

Image Janne Ford

Spring flower inspired editorial - 2019

Image Belle and Beau Fine Art Photography

Design Sponge Feature - 2019

Fine Art editorial - 2018

Commissioned by Wedding Sparrow

Image Jen Huang

Harewood House - Land Art wreath sculptures - 2018

Flanking Orpheus statue in the Terrace garden, the sculptures were created from forest floor finds and compost heap raiding.

Castle Howard Flower Festival - 2018

Creative Director of the 2018 flower festival - the first of its kind to showcase purely UK grown flowers and without the use of floral foam.

Image Charlotte Graham

Belle & Beau Photography workshop - 2018

Floral installations and bouquets

Image Belle and Beau Fine Art Photography

Elle Decoration feature - 2018

“For a masterclass on building almost architectural floral displays, head to Yorkshire, where arranger Fiona Pickles of Firenza Flowers studio offers ‘Large scale installations’ workshops. Fiona provides ladders, barrels of blooms - from dahlias to hedgerow berries - amd expertise on how to design and structure your artworks.”

Belle & Beau Photography workshop - 2018

Floral installations, tablescape, bouquet and venue hire (house & garden)

Image Belle and Beau Fine Art Photography

Aesthetica Botanica - book feature 2018

A 14 page feature within the coffee table book featuring various artists and how they live with plants.

Manor House 5 star hotel - 2018

Multiple wall installations, including one three storeys high.

Winter editorial - 2018

Hanging florals, installation and tablescape designs for a photographers masterclass

River Cottage editorial 2017

Image Nicola Dixon

British Vogue feature - 2017

In an article about wilder floral design - “For inspiration, scroll through the instagram feed of Firenza Floral Design [as I was known then 😉], a Yorkshire-based studio that uses the details in landscapes and seasons as muses for its creations”

& Other Stories - 2017

Three day pop up shop in the Leeds store, selling flowers, plants and other home accessories.

Image: & Other Stories

Holford Hall editorial - 2017

Image Melissa Beattie

British Flowers Book - 2017

A seasonal guide to British flower availability - designs for the months of May and December.

Image Emma Davies

Betty’s York - 2017

A 1930’s inspired editorial

Image Shutter Go Click

Euridge Manor - A Beautiful Way - 2017

Floral Installation Commission.

Image Belle and Beau Fine Art Photography

Harlow Carr gardens March - 2017

Large installation on ‘The Folly’ Doric columns in the gardens.

Image Belle and Beau Fine Art Photography

Biscuit Factory Gallery Newcastle - 2016

Floral installations.

The Artist’s Grandaughter - editorial 2016

Image Belle and Beau Fine Art Photography

The Telegraph - listed in top 20 most creative florists in the UK - 2016

Image Nicola Dixon

Harrogate Autumn Flower Show - 2016

British flowers demonstration - floral art marquee

Image Belle and Beau Fine Art Photography

British Flowers Week - 2015

Co-creator of four installations on behalf of Flowers from the Farm to promote British grown flowers.

Image Sarah Mason

Tuscan inspired editorial - 2015

Image Melissa Beattie

Fashion inspired bridal editorial - 2015

Image The Melias

Tour de Yorkshire - 2015

Presentation bouquets for VIP guests.

Great British Flowers Seminar - Stoneleigh 2014

Guest speaker at this nationwide event which brought together all sectors of the floral industry, including a member of DEFRA, Rachel de Thame and large-scale wholesalers, to discuss the future of British grown flowers.