The Story
Nestled in the heart of Norfolk, The Botany House, under the visionary leadership of Rebecca Larner, is a purveyor of exquisite, meticulously crafted floral arrangements designed to elevate every occasion with profound meaning. From weddings and funerals to parties and unique, one-of-a-kind events, we specialise in transforming moments into timeless memories.
Whilst being based in it’s heart, we supply flowers to all corners of Norfolk and beyond, to extraordinary venues and esteemed well-known businesses. Using the very best of the seasons, The Botany House signature style is elegantly romantic, feminine and graceful; inspired by English gardens, intricate details and delicate textures.
Our style is one of a kind and has come from years of practice, exploration and following our intuition as we create. Every one of our designs, from large scale installations to little buttonholes, is perfected and loved before it leaves our studio and is presented to you. Every detail is considered and each stem is artfully placed to create breath-taking results.
Setting scenes, moods, and atmospheres is our forte, a source of immense pride deeply rooted in our artistic and design background. Our floral schemes are designed to immerse the senses in an all-encompassing experience. At The Botany House, we engage closely with our clients at every phase of floral planning, offering our expertise and extensive botanical knowledge to provide an impeccable service.
Used to distinguished occasions, The Botany House is no stranger to large events - working with world renowned British brands such as David Austin Wedding Roses and Suzanne Neville Bridal and creating arrangements for HRH The Duchess of Cambridge.
Meet Rebecca…
What are your Favourite Flowers?
Starting with an easy one, or not so easy as the case may be…
In the spring time; Ranunculus, Spirea, Sweet Peas and Syringa
During Summer; Peonies, Orlaya, Sweet Peas (again) and Garden Roses
For Autumn; Abelia, Rosehips, Burning Embers and Cosmos
Finally in Winter: Hellebores, Snowdrops and Fritillaria
Of all time: Pansies, Lily of the Valley, Ranunculus and Sweet Peas
When you’re not working, what do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I absolutely love to sew. For me, there’s nothing more comforting than sitting down for an afternoon at my sewing machine with a cozy TV show, my cat cuddled on my lap, and a beautiful Liberty London fabric to sew into a dress. It’s so satisfying to take a design you love, recreate it in your own way, from a beautiful fabric of your choice, and then be able to wear it.
It goes without saying I have a pretty big collection of floral dresses and skirts I’ve sewn myself, and one of my favourite projects to date has been a floral quilted gilet with a bow front and broderie anglaise detailing.
I love to use natural fibres like cottons and linens, and I try to source my fabrics from small businesses, although I can’t resist a trip to Liberty London’s haberdashery.
My time sewing is dictated by my fluffy grey cat, Norbert, who commands my attention at every moment possible. He is, however, the most adorable creature I’ve ever loved, so I can’t pretend not to be wrapped around his little paw.
Whilst I am definitely an introvert and my hobbies are the epitome of introverted, I love spending time with my close friends and family. My school friends and I have recently started a regular crafting night where we cook for each other – one of us taking the main course, pudding, or drinks – and then we make a random, cute crafty thing we’ve found on Pinterest, with varying levels of success. Our clay trinket dishes were a triumph, but we try not to mention the disaster of beading night.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in the heart of the beautiful county of Norfolk. I’m still here, and I can’t imagine myself ever wanting to live anywhere else. I love being surrounded by rolling countryside but not too far from the sea or an idyllic village to explore. I love that I can take a walk and find horses grazing in their fields, newborn spring lambs in March, and hear the rustling of deer, squirrels, and birds as they make Norfolk their home around me.
If you were to get married now, how would your wedding flowers look?
I’m placing this question below the shortest above because I know it’s going to be a long and very specific answer.
I’d love to get married in a church, ideally with a porch, so I can design an archway that tumbles around the outside entrance and then spills inside to run along the floor and climb the porch walls. The feel of the archway would continue inside the church, where the font, the aisle, and the little table where the leaflets are kept—pretty much every clear surface possible—would all be covered in meadowy, rambling floor pieces. I love designing urn arrangements, so they would stand proudly at the front of the church, and again they would be absolutely surrounded by floor meadows and trailing, climbing pieces.
Then, after the church ceremony, I’d love to have a sailcloth marquee in my garden. Another arch would be created around the entrance, and inside, vines would clamber up all the poles and crisscross over the ceiling. I’d have gingham tablecloths with napkins embroidered with my Nanny and Grandma’s favorite flowers and a picture of my cat, Norbert. The flowers on the tables would be bowls and bud vases full of garden roses and sweet peas to absolutely fill the marquee with delicate fragrance.
I’d have clusters of urns and baskets scattered around the bar and seating areas, with striped parasols, a vintage ice cream trolley, and maybe a “create your own bouquet” stand where guests can make their own little bunch of flowers to take home with them. If at all possible, the ice cream trolley would be stocked by Cafe Gelato in Norwich, who serve the best authentic gelato.
The color palette would be an amalgamation of whatever flower varieties I fall in love with that week across all of my wholesalers' websites: pinks, lilacs, lemon yellows, peaches, creams. However, I would need to get married in late spring so I could source sweet peas, ranunculus, garden roses, foxgloves, peonies, and lily of the valley.
I think that’s everything. Although first of all, I need to find a husband and start adding a lot more money to my savings account.
What’s your favourite season for flowers, and how do you embrace it in your designs?
I love the latter half of spring, transitioning into the very beginning of summer. The combination of delicate spring blossoms with ruffled ranunculus meeting blousy peonies and scented garden roses is heaven to me. It’s usually a fleeting week at the end of April or the beginning of May when British flowers start to bloom, catching up to the varieties already flowering in the overseas market.
My romantic and effortless style encapsulates this time so naturally that I find myself embracing the feel it brings me all year round. Combining ruffles with dainty, delicate details, I can lace together the euphoria that this time of year brings me during any month.
What are your hopes and dreams for the future?
I just want for those I love to be happy and healthy and live a peaceful, fulfilled life.
I’m never striving to be the biggest or most famous florist in the world. I endeavor to be the best version of myself that I can be, design beautiful work that I am proud of, and, most importantly, bring my couples’ dreams to life on their most special day.
I hope to continue creating exquisite wedding designs, learning from awe-inspiring industry colleagues - some of whom I am lucky enough to call friends - and surrounding myself in the ever-changing, magnificently breathtaking world of flowers.
I feel like I’m the luckiest girl in the world to call The Botany House my business. Even the moldy buckets, the tax return, the 4 a.m. wake-ups, and the 1 a.m. bedtimes are a privilege when it means I can keep being a florist for the rest of my life.
I adore what I do, and all I can hope and dream of is getting to keep doing it.
Having said that, I would love to live in a cottage in the countryside with my cat, with an established climbing rose around the door and a paddock to keep a horse.
I’d love a pink kitchen and a place to grow hundreds of tomatoes. It would also be fantastic to have a woodland that I can cut foliage from and maybe a safe, clean wild swimming spot nearby.