This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Festival of Flowers at Chichester Cathedral. Rachel Soothill explains how the floral display has grown to become part of the community
It will have been months in the making. More than 50,000 blooms – from roses and foxgloves to fruit trees, foliage and vegetables – will be transformed into 60 breathtaking installations, including a sustainable living dress, secret garden and a woodland grove, created by more than 100 designers, florists, students and volunteers. Every surface will burst with colour and texture, while the air will hang heavy with the sweet scent of flowers.
But when the doors of Chichester Cathedral open from June 3-6, visitors will step into far more than a breathtaking floral showcase. They will enter a living story – one shaped across three decades, guided by creativity, and rooted deeply in the local community.
The 2026 Festival of Flowers marks the 30th anniversary of one of the south’s most cherished cultural traditions. Since its launch in 1996, the biennial celebration has welcomed tens of thousands of visitors and raised more than £1.4m towards the care of the cathedral.
This anniversary year, however, carries a particular sense of meaning – it’s not simply a celebration, but a moment that bridges past, present and future.
Guided by the theme Nature’s Embrace, the festival explores humanity’s enduring relationship with the natural world – its capacity to nurture wellbeing, inspire creativity and bring people together. It is a theme that also speaks naturally to growth in another sense: encouraging the next generation of floral designers, horticulturalists and creative thinkers.
‘People see the finished displays, the colour, the scent and the scale of it all but what they don’t see are the months of planning,’ says the festival’s co-ordinator Philippa Lane.
‘It’s an enormous undertaking – but when the cathedral doors open and visitors step inside and simply stop in awe it really makes it all worthwhile.
‘It’s a privilege to help transform Chichester Cathedral into something so joyful, and to do it alongside such a passionate community.’
From Darkness into Light
The inaugural event in 1996 was inspired by Lady Fiona Barttelot, the festival’s first lead designer, whose vision helped establish what would become a defining cathedral tradition.
‘I had the idea for the Festival of Flowers following a conversation with The Very Reverend John Treadgold [then Dean of Chichester],’ Fiona explains. ‘He was a supporter of the St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital Group [a charitable provider of expert eye care in Israel] and the theme for the first event was Darkness Into Light – a tribute to the extraordinary transformations experienced by patients at the hospital.
‘It was a huge event to organise and I’m so pleased it has continued with new designers and ideas each time.’ Over the past three decades, themes for the festival have drawn inspiration from faith, art, music, remembrance, renewal and the natural world.
Each iteration has transformed the cathedral’s nave, cloisters and chapels into immersive floral environments, brought to life by designers and volunteer arrangers.
Nature’s Embrace
For this landmark year, Nature’s Embrace provides the creative thread running throughout the cathedral.
Festival designer Caroline Daines, founder of floral design studio Nordic Twigs, brings a background in weddings and events alongside a deep affinity for architecture, art and the Sussex landscape.
‘Being involved in the 30th anniversary feels incredibly special,’ Barnham-based Caroline says.
‘Nature’s Embrace is a theme that naturally invites inclusivity and growth. From woodland walks and forest bathing to whispers of wind and the quiet strength of roots, we’re exploring how nature nurtures mind, body and soul.’
The theme reaches beyond aesthetics, it touches on elements of sustainability and the ways natural systems mirror human communities – interconnected, resilient and constantly evolving.
‘From the very beginning of planning it felt essential that the festival should involve the next generation – students, schoolchildren, emerging designers, industry professionals, florists and enthusiasts,’ Caroline says.
‘Floral design is always evolving – and there is something genuinely energising about bringing together different ages and creative perspectives within such a remarkable setting.’
That commitment is clearly visible in the involvement of students from Plumpton College. For the fourth consecutive festival, the college’s students will create large-scale installations within the cloisters and nave, including a hanging cloud display that depicts the four seasons.
Students will be immersed in every stage of the process, from early design concepts through to flower selection and ordering – not simply practical experience, but a genuine real-world commission.
‘Opportunities like this are invaluable,’ Areta Richards, floristry lecturer at Plumpton College, says.
‘Our students are developing far more than their floristry skills; they are problem-solving, collaborating, managing budgets and responding to an extraordinary architectural space. To be able to do that within Chichester Cathedral is something they will carry throughout their careers.’
That sense of progression is embodied by Nancy Hersey, a former Plumpton student who first encountered the festival during her studies in 2024 and now returns as an exhibitor. ‘Nancy’s involvement this year is genuinely exciting,’ Caroline says. ‘To see someone progress from student contributor to independent designer so quickly is exactly the kind of creative journey the festival hopes to encourage.’
Nancy’s installation, a sustainable living dress, signals the confidence and originality of a new generation of designers. ‘Younger florists are reshaping conversations around sustainability,’ Caroline adds. ‘Nancy’s piece is visually striking, but also thoughtful and forward-looking.’
Young children are also being given the opportunity to play a meaningful role in the festival for the first time.
Pupils from Goodwood Area Schools in Chichester will work alongside Caroline and the Cathedral’s creative learning manager Rosie Bradberry to create a central installation at the Arundel Screen, showcasing what goes on beneath the soil, such as root systems and minibeasts.
As part of a special enrichment project, Key Stage 2 pupils, aged between seven and 11 years old, will explore the ideas behind Nature’s Embrace through teamwork, creativity, discussion and hands-on making.
‘It’s important that children see their creativity valued in a space like this,’ Caroline says. ‘They are not simply observing the festival – they are part of it.’
Elsewhere, pupils from Graffham Forest School in the city will create installations using materials such as copper, celebrating memory-making and childhood experiences in nature.
Creativity without barriers
Across the cathedral, more than 100 volunteer arrangers will interpret Nature’s Embrace, working with more than 50,000 blooms. Contributors span generations from experienced floral artists to emerging creatives. Championing this vision is Guy Watts of Architectural Plants, which is a supporter of the Festival of Flowers 2026.
‘There are well-recognised benefits of working with plants and natural materials, particularly for young people,’ he says.
‘It builds patience, confidence and creativity, while offering a form of learning that is both physical and deeply rewarding.’
What distinguishes the festival is its collective spirit. Months of preparation culminate in a four-day transformation of the cathedral.
Visitors will encounter more than 60 installations, alongside the Plant Market and Festival Market – where a curated selection of stalls can be browsed, offering a range of jewellery, fashion and accessories, homeware, wine and artisan produce.
Yet the festival remains, at its core, a shared endeavour in service of the cathedral. Every ticket contributes directly to the care of this extraordinary building.
Thirty years on
While anniversaries often invite nostalgia, the 2026 Festival feels distinctly forward-looking – honouring its origins while embracing new voices and ideas.
From Darkness Into Light to Nature’s Embrace, the festival’s journey mirrors the rhythms of the natural world itself – cycles of renewal, continuity and growth.
Now 30 years in bloom, the Festival of Flowers stands as a celebration not only of floral artistry, but also of community, creativity and shared heritage..
Tickets start from £21 per person when booked in advance.
chichestercathedral.org.uk
>
festival
Share