There's a certain romance to the idea of fresh plants in a restaurant, the promise of life, the gentle unfurling of new growth, the organic imperfection of nature making its home among the clinking of wine glasses and the murmur of conversation.
At Brasserie Constance, Michelin-starred chef Adam Byatt's neighbourhood restaurant perched along Fulham Pier, this vision initially took root in the form of real plantings nestled between the restaurant's banquette seating. Overlooking the Thames, with its light dancing across the water, the setting seemed perfect.
Despite the breathtaking river views, the interior lacked the natural daylight these living plants craved. Without consistent care and the right conditions, they began their inevitable decline, wilting, browning, that unmistakable musty scent that signals defeat. There were emergency dashes to the market, hasty top-ups to fill in the gaps, but eventually, the team reached a conclusion: perhaps sustaining real plants here was, ironically, unsustainable.
The vision was clear from our first conversation. They wanted something that felt effortlessly British and natural, the restaurants name was inspired by Constance Spry who was famous for her revolutionary floral design, organic rather than arranged. Think grasses swaying as if caught by a Thames breeze, seasonal blooms in gentle peaches and yellows, the kind of natural abundance you'd find on a countryside ramble. The plantings needed to create a sense of privacy between diners without feeling like barriers, and above all, they had to look genuinely alive.
There were four planters in total, two large, two small, each positioned to define the space while maintaining the restaurant's airy, riverside aesthetic.
We began by understanding what "natural" truly meant in this context. Not manicured, not formal, but undulating and varied, the way nature actually grows. We curated a palette of stems that would create movement and texture: Pennisetum grasses with their feathery plumes, delicate dill that catches the light just so, Alchemilla with its soft, scalloped leaves. For structure, we incorporated larger-leafed varieties, begonias, hostas, alocasias, creating depth and visual weight.
Our favourite find? Burgundy pimpernel, a stem we've become slightly obsessed with lately. Those deep wine-coloured stems add just the right amount of moodiness without veering into heavy.
We built a comprehensive mock-up first, ensuring every element aligned with the restaurants vision before committing. Then we supplied samples of each stem, no surprises, just confidence in the final product. When installation day arrived, we spent all day on-site, adjusting, tweaking, ensuring each stem sat exactly as it had in our design. This wasn't about placing plants; it was about orchestrating an environment.
Months later, the plantings look exactly as they did on day one. There's no wilting, no mushiness, no desperate weekend plant shopping. Just beautiful, consistent botanicals that require nothing more than an occasional dusting. The diners are surrounded by greenery that creates intimacy without isolation, beauty without the burden of maintenance.
This project reinforced something we've long believed: there are environments where faux isn't a compromise, it's the smarter choice. When light is limited, when access is difficult, when consistency matters, thoughtfully designed faux installations can outperform their living counterparts.
Take another project of ours: the hanging planters at London Wall's reception area. Positioned at ceiling height, they'd require a cherry picker for any maintenance. We filled them with lush faux greenery seven years ago. They still look perfect, zero watering required!
If you're working with a challenging space, low light, high ceilings, limited access, or simply the need for permanent perfection, we'd love to have a look. Sometimes the most natural solution is the one that never needs watering.
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