Rebekka Lily – Flower Champion of Bud

Flower power embodied! Rebekka Lily, Floral Designer of BUD has been on a Path of Plants throughout her life. Let’s find out what this floral genius is all about.  

Hello Rebekka, good to see you! Tell us who you are?

—Hi! My name is Rebekka, I’m from the UK. I grew up in the suburbs of Essex near east London and moved to Bangkok when I was 24. In Bangkok, I worked with set design and taught Art for over 7 years before moving to Finland around 4 years ago. “Love migration” is the reason I now call Helsinki my home. 

You’re our floral designer in BUD. What’s your back-ground with flowers?

—I dive deep. It’s in my nature. When I find something I love, I fall hard. I’ve been obsessed with plants ever since I can remember, and I was lucky enough to grow up in a family of keen gardeners. I used to spend a lot of time in my mother’s and my grandmother’s beautiful English gardens, planting things and collecting flowers to make art and perfume. All my earliest memories revolve around these things.

Once I left school, I studied floristry and horticulture in London. After my studies I bounced around London working for different florists. It was really interesting to see how everyone approaches flowers and arranging differently. I enjoyed picking up on nuances and adapting to each person’s style. This process really helped me find my own style as well. I’ve been in the flower game for 16 years now and I still find it wildly fulfilling.

Anything special that truly inspires you with flowers?  

—I like to champion the vision that flowers are as exciting as fashion and interior design, but entirely more accessible. They can do a lot liven up a space… Just check out all the colors we have in BUD!!!

Flowers are indispensable in our lives – aside from their reproductive roles in our natural environment, their aesthetic and medicinal appeal is what I value the most. The fragrance and color of a bloom can invigorate us and that’s what I find most inspirational in my work.

How about in life in general? 

—I am not the kind of person who has one passion in life. Rather, I wonder if I have the time to discover and sufficiently explore a million things that interest me. One of my greatest inspirations though is to exchange facts and stories. I love to be the gatherer and giver of information, and I think I could strike a conversation with just about anyone anywhere. Social connections really motivate me.

It’s 2022 – what kind of floral trends would you say there are this year? The world seems to be opening yet again for events, weddings and more. 

—I believe floral trends have shifted more towards the unconventional, with an emphasis on asymmetry, depth creation, playing with lines, and using strange juxtapositions – rather than making classic, compact style arrangements. Our customers are also now requesting bolder, more color-focused looks. It feels like a welcome rebellion against the minimalist style, which has dominated the last decade. Maximalism is back in a big way, baby!

You made an article to this BUDZINE, combining zodiac signs and floral art. Tell us a bit about that project?

—I’ve been journeying into a more of esoteric and comprehensive approach to wellness. I use astrology and tarot as tools for mindfulness. It’s just so fun, and I love the woo-woo of if it all. To BUDZINE, I wanted to create floral portals for the readers to find a visual resting place. The floral formations show an appreciation for the natural world and celebrate plant life with a sense of fantasy. The portals are designed using materials embodying the elements of each zodiac sign.

Something else you’d like to tell us about yourself? 

—I am a self-taught ‘no dig’ gardener, and as I’ve gotten older it’s an absolute joy for me to grow a garden – I could give up on a lot of things to simply be in my garden. I have a large allotment space in Helsinki. I study herbalism and grow a lot of medicine plants and veggies. Look out for some homegrown blooms and edible flowers this summer at BUD!

And lastly, a fun fact about you? We don’t tell.

—I love cooking, like love love love it! I started cooking and learning the ropes in professional kitchens when I first moved to Finland. I have a long-standing love for entertaining and sharing my love of nourishing foods. I focus on wild foraged herbs and mushrooms and I’m absolute nerd when it comes to fermentation. You’ll find lots of weird science experiments in my kitchen. (Check out my side hustle biz @pink___pickle for more on that).

Most aspects of my day-to-day life evolve around plants. I guess it’s my love language and I’m proud to walk this plant path. 

Thanks so much, Rebekka! You can catch this flower wizard from BUD – remember to ask her to get creative with your bouquet.