The Powerhouse launches Victorian Floriography Guide to celebrate the Chelsea Flower Show
Chelsea’s transformed Victorian power station, Powerhouse, launches the ‘Floriography guide to the Victorian Language of Flowers’ ahead of Chelsea Flower Show
London’s Chelsea Waterfront development has launched the ‘Powerhouse Guide to Floriography’ – a curated exploration of Victorian flower language created with leading luxury florist, House of Flowers, the Powerhouse’s first retail tenant, set to open this June.
The guide provides a contemporary and engaging way for modern audiences to communicate their desires through flowers like a Victorian, connect with the Victorian history and character of Powerhouse, one of London’s three iconic power stations, and get into the spirit of the Chelsea Flower Show – which takes place near to Powerhouse. Floriography, the art of communicating through flowers, flourished in the 19th century as a subtle way to convey messages that might otherwise go unspoken. Inspired by this Victorian tradition, the Powerhouse Guide to Floriography features a curated selection of flowers including Amaryllis, Anemone, Bluebell, Buttercup, Carnations, Chrysanthemum and Daffodils with each of their unique meanings.
The Floriography guide encourages visitors to explore the language of flowers as they craft their own bouquets with a message at the House of Flowers.
Revealed: What Your Bouquet May Be Saying
In the Victorian era, bouquets were composed like poems, with layers of nuance and intent, with particular flowers carrying particular meanings. For example:
· Red Rose – The unmistakable emblem of romantic and passionate love.
· Yellow Carnation – Rejection or disappointment; far from cheerful despite the flower’s sunny hue.
· Tulip – Though now a declaration of love, in Victorian times it carried a darker message of grief and jealousy.
· Lavender – While the flower’s scent is evocative, its presence in a bouquet communicated distrust.
· Forget-Me-Not – A timeless plea for remembrance and fidelity.
Even how the flowers were presented mattered. If delivered in the right hand it signified a social obligation, while in the left hand it signified a personal affection. An upright bouquet communicated acceptance – but if presented upside down meant rejection.
Powerhouse is the new name for the transformed Lots Road power station, part of the Chelsea Waterfront development. Powerhouse sees the meticulous transformation of the power station into 260 luxury apartments that blend industrial heritage with modern elegance. In Powerhouse soaring 100-metre atrium, designed by Fiona Barratt-Campbell, shoppers can explore the new and intimate ‘mews’ street, lined with shops, restaurants, and leisure spaces, while also marvelling at the power station’s original chimneys and infrastructure.
The House of Flowers is the first retailer to open in Powerhouse’s atrium and has a distinguished list of clients ranging from private addresses across Kensington and Chelsea to luxury brands such as Cartier and The Berkeley Hotel. The House of Flowers specialises in striking, Eastern European-style floristry featuring bold, large-scale arrangements bursting with colour.
Thomas Chamberlayne, Chief Marketing Manager of Hutchison Property Group (UK) Limited, said: “In an age of instant digital communication, it’s fascinating to remember there was once a more poetic way to share your feelings. The language of flowers is sensual, symbolic, and often surprising, it reveals how deeply Victorians felt, and how cleverly they expressed themselves. The guide is part of a broader cultural initiative at Chelsea Waterfront to reconnect with heritage in fresh, inspiring ways across the development.”
Lolita Katasonova, Founder of House of Flowers, said: “The language of flowers is celebrated in different cultures around the world, and it has been particularly fascinating to learn about Flowers that were used in Victorian Britain and the parallels to how flowers are enjoyed today to express our feelings. Our guide reinterprets these age-old meanings for a modern audience, pairing historical insight with contemporary floral design and storytelling.”
Further information – Chelsea Waterfront