Victorian Sustainability: 'Pot et Fleur' Flower Arrangements
Cover image: Illustration from Domestic Floriculture, F.W Burbridge, William Blackwood & Sons, 1874.
Among the many forms of floral artistry, Pot et Fleur remains a hidden gem.
It combines the living backdrop of houseplants with the interest and seasonality of cut flowers.
Gaining favour in the nineteenth century, it reflected the Victorian sensibility for extravagant decoration. An extreme example is seen in the above cover illustration combining palms and ferns which would make conversation over the dinner table a challenge for guests!
Despite this extravagance, this month's Flora Historia looks at how taking inspiration from this Victorian technique of combining house plants and cut flowers can serve as a sustainable and economical way to arrange flowers in the 21st Century... Just, perhaps, on a smaller scale.
The History of Pot et Fleur
You won't find the term 'pot et fleur' in any original Victorian floriculture books or journal entries.
The term was first used in 1960, in a response to an article by writer, flower arranger and gardener Violet Stevenson in The Telegraph about mixing cut flowers and house plants.
It has roots in 19th-century Europe, particularly in England and France, where it was favoured among aristocrats and gardening enthusiasts. The Victorian era, known for its fascination with botany, saw a rise in the use of potted plants indoors – particular favourites in the Victorian home were the potted palm, ivy, aspidistra and ferns (there was a ‘fern craze’ between the 1840s and 1860s! More to come on this in upcoming Flora Historia articles):
An advertisement for Edmund Gill’s Victoria Fernery in Lynton, north Devon, taken from The British Pteridological Society website, https://ebps.org.uk/
This hybrid technique became a staple in elegant drawing rooms, conservatories, and grand estates. It was readily employed as a centrepiece on the dinner table. Great lengths were undertaken to conceal the plant pots. In hotels and clubs, dining tables could have their table top removed and a special adapted table top which included holes to place pots could be added. Similarly, on such occasions heavy table cloths with holes stitched in were employed to conceal the foundations of extravagant arrangements. The below illustration provides guidance on how pots can be concealed on the table top.
Illustration from Domestic Floriculture, F.W Burbridge, William Blackwood & Sons, 1874.
In Domestic Floriculture, F. W Burbrige gives step by step instructions on how to create an arrangement using a sunken plant pot that is 'suitable for a small dinner or breakfast party':
A plant of Bouvardia jasminiflora [is] sunk through the tops of the table [and] is finished off with Maiden-hair ferns, on which are laid a few Azalea and Chrysanthemum flowers.
He goes on to say that the arrangement ''can be put together in a few minutes if the sprays are cut and arranged in the above way described.'
Illustration from Domestic Floriculture, F.W Burbridge, William Blackwood & Sons, 1874.
Acknowledging that sinking a plant pot through a table top is not generally applicable, he gives advice on the appropriate type of plant pot to use in your centrepiece, noting that 'white and pale blue enamelled kinds may be tolerated, but gaudy affairs of crimson, purple, scarlet or gold should be avoided.' He goes further to say that 'pots may be easily concealed enough by draping them with common small-leaved ivy [...] or with Fern fronds pressed into the soil and gracefully bent over the sides.'
Indeed, the combining of potted plants and cut flowers became such an established way of arranging flowers it was afforded its own class at the RHS. The RHS exhibition of 1872, saw a winning entry comprising of:
Two large ferns let into the table, and surrounded by fern leaves, so as to hide all their appearance of being done. The centrepiece was singularly elegant – a tall glass with cacti blooms at the base of it, the vase containing lily of the valley, salmon coloured geraniums and light grasses. On either side were two recumbent figures surrounded by moss.
The Technique: How Pot et Fleur Works
The magic of Pot et Fleur lies in its ability to combine the permanence of potted plants with the flexibility of cut flowers. Unlike traditional floral arrangements, which rely solely on cut stems, this method ensures a longer-lasting display by incorporating living plants.
Image from 'The Lost Art of Pot et Fleur': Flower Arranging with House Plants', Sue Conder, Boxtree, 1995.
Offering a contemporary perspective on the technique, Susan Conder in her book 'The Lost Art of Pot et Fleur: Flower Arranging with House Plants' gives extensive advice on the foundation and seasonal inspiration for this type of design. Above we can see an Easter arrangement consisting of primrose and cowslip with narcissus that has been placed in a glass jar in the arrangement.
Key elements to consider:
Containers
A traditional pot et fleur consists of an outer container with one or more house plants and cut stems that can be placed in smaller water filled vessels. The outer container should be waterproof to protect furniture, but flexible plastic or waterproof containers can be added to increase the variety of outer containers that can be employed - think about baskets, kitchen containers or wooden boxes.
House Plants:
House plants can remain in their pots for ease in removing them to display in the house again, or the root ball can be taken from the garden and planted directly into potting compost held within the container.
Cut Stems:
Cut stems are placed within the arrangement in smaller vessels with water or in florist cones.
Concealing the mechanics within arrangement:
Moss and lichen can be used to cover potting compost and plant pots in your arrangements. You can also arrange foliage leaves to conceal mechanics.
Caring for your arrangement:
Remember that the care of your arrangement will differ between your potted plant and the cut stems. Where the inner container can be easily removed, cut flower stems can have stems trimmed and fresh water added every few days. House plants on the other hand are more likely to wilt if you over-water them and dislike draughty conditions. It is also worth noting that, in general, ferns do not like direct sunlight. If you are using this plant, you may wish to consider a shadier area to display your arrangement so that it lasts as long as possible.
Image from 'The Lost Art of Pot et Fleur': Flower Arranging with House Plants', Sue Conder, Boxtree, 1995.
Communal Pot et Fleur
Communal pot et fleur use lots of different potted plants grouped together in an arrangement. In the below photographs we find a room in Ancoats Hall that has had flower arrangements put in place for a social gathering. We find the traditional arrangements of flowers in vases and palms in pots, but in the corner we find a densely packed arrangement of potted plants grouped together with flowering plants in pots at the front.
Photo © President and Fellows of Harvard College. Taken from Social Settlements: Great Britain, England. Manchester. "Art Museum and University Settlement": Manchester Art Museum and University Settlement, Manchester, Eng.: Room in Ancoats Hall, (Arranged for a social gathering.), 1903. Harvard Art Museums website, https://harvardartmuseums.org/collections/object/312878.
While the Victorians were often seen as extravagant in their love for lavish floral displays, the art of combining houseplants and cut flowers remains a remarkably sustainable and economical way to enjoy floral arrangements in the 21st century.
By incorporating long-lasting potted plants with seasonal cut blooms, pot et fleur reduces waste, minimizes the need for constant flower replacements, and creates arrangements that can evolve over time. This method not only brings natural beauty into our homes but also aligns with modern eco-conscious living, proving that timeless traditions can be both elegant and practical.
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Sources
Conder, Sue. 'The Lost Art of Pot et Fleur': Flower Arranging with House Plants', Boxtree, 1995.
Burbridge, F.W. Domestic Floriculture, William Blackwood & Sons, 1874.
Berrall, Julia S. 'A History of Flower Arrangement', Thames and Hudson, 1953.
Social Settlements: Great Britain, England. Manchester. "Art Museum and University Settlement": Manchester Art Museum and University Settlement, Manchester, Eng.: Room in Ancoats Hall, (Arranged for a social gathering.), 1903. Harvard Art Museums website, https://harvardartmuseums.org/collections/object/312878.
The British Pteridological Society website, https://ebps.org.uk/