In conversation

Studio Supple founder Scarlett sits down with friends and
creatives to talk life, work and the art of creation

Kitten Grayson

At the bucolic Somerset home and garden of floral
designer and gardener Kitten Grayson, Scarlett
and Kitten talk flowers, incense and the power of
meaningful connection

Scarlett: It’s so dreamy here with all the candles! What does a normal day look like for you?

Kitten: I usually wake a bit earlier than everyone else, come down and light all my candles (because I’m an absolute candle fanatic), and do some journaling - my Morning Pages. It’s become a ritual for me, helping my mind be at peace for a moment before landing into the day. As well as the candles, I burn incense created from foraged elements and flowers I grew last year that have dried and been bathed in the essential oils I’ve made so there are all these beautiful layers of aromas. I’m really interested in this extraordinary history of incense and ritual so that’s a real focus for me. Then I open the windows and let the air flow in, get my little girl off to school and look at my day ahead: trips to London or working in my shed-studio at home, currently on a limited edition of clay incense holders.

Scarlett: Are you making those yourself?

Kitten: Yes! I didn’t know how I wanted them to feel so I thought I'd just have a go and I’m actually really enjoying it. I’m used to creating with flowers, plants and branches but I'm trying to expand my outlets. I've also started stone carving and making these beautiful boulders with cups for rainwater which are going into our garden designs. There’s quite a lot going on but I love it!

Scarlett: We can see them here in your garden.

Kitten: Yes, here we’ve also designed a floral labyrinth that people can walk through. You’ll have to bring the kids in the summer!

Scarlett: We’d love that. Tell us about the cutting garden too.

Kitten: It’s this incredibly magical place, where we’ve got lots of space and grow lots of flowers. I’m currently planning and preparing what seeds to sow, thinking about where the flowers will end up, be it an event or a clients’ garden, and now with incense in mind too!

Scarlett: And how do you create the incense blend? Don’t tell me your secret ingredients but I’m absolutely fascinated!

Kitten: I harvest all the flowers, foraging for all the bits, and then it’s a golden ratio for the blend, like plant alchemy. It’s such a journey to get there. Once dried, you can either burn on charcoal, or in an incense holder.

Scarlett: Oh yes I’ve done that before, on the charcoal.

Kitten: I love to burn incense on charcoal when I’m gardening as it’s an incredible way of honouring the land - like a gift to nature. Inside, I’ll use an incense holder to create these beautiful ribbons of smoke, celebrating the plants. I think we’ve all had times of burnout in our careers and you get quite hardwired going at that pace. I'm on a journey to do a bit of restorative work and calm my nervous system. That way we have a lot more to offer to the world.

Scarlett: It’s so true. Managing that balance and looking after yourself is so important. And then people ask you to do something like this on top!

Kitten: No it’s so nice to stop and talk about what we’re doing at this moment. I was so happy to sit down together.

Scarlett: What was your journey into floral design and gardening?

Kitten: The floristry world is full on. People think it's lovely playing with flowers every day, but it’s hard. Especially early on in my career in London, when a lot of the girls helping me were also exhausted, it didn't feel like a very healthy environment. But it stems from wanting to create beauty for people. We are kind of fairies! Florists are like flower fairies.

“I want to put things in the ground and see them grow and create these beautiful spaces where people of all ages and nature can thrive together and make memories.”

Scarlett: Yes - when you came to my fabric launch, I thought you were just like a fairy! You made a ridiculously beautiful creation.

Kitten: Yes, it’s a beautiful world and it's fun and it's so exciting and addictive because you're creating this beauty for people, but it's really tiring. So I’ve always wanted to go back into gardens and plants and it being more about working with the land. My business partner and I are both very passionate about plant and soil health, and permaculture. I just love plants! I feel like I'm in communication with them, and the trees and the land too.

Scarlett: It’s incredible! What inspires your creativity?

Kitten: I feel very inspired by nature, the trees, the forest - it's my biggest love, apart from my child! And the seasons - the rhythm of the cosmos. Astrology too I find so fascinating, and the elements - earth, fire, water, air: these hidden codes that are all interconnected. I think I just find our connection to interconnectedness incredibly inspiring.

Scarlett: It's neverending. I think the same when designing the fabrics. You don’t need to make anything up. The colours are all here.

Kitten: Last winter, I had this extraordinary connection to the trees in a deeper way. I think they’re all individual characters, like humans. I love seeing their bareness. I'm blown away by how beautiful they are.

Scarlett: I saw your photography recently and it was so beautiful. I loved it.

Kitten: Oh did you? That’s so nice, thank you. I got a camera for my birthday. I’m really getting into it.

Scarlett: You did one, like a frosty chard. And the trees and the moss I loved.

Kitten: The winter is when we see the true rawness and vulnerability of nature and it's so beautiful. Seeing the trees and their bare branches - they’re like these mythical creatures.

Scarlett: They’ve all got their little personalities.

Kitten: When you drive back down the drive, there are these two willow trees and they look like dragons. It’s like they’re looking after us.

Scarlett: And are there any artists or makers that are inspiring you right now?

Kitten: I took this out as I love it! It’s a book I found in Hauser & Wirth on artist Flora Yukhnovich.

Scarlett: The colours are incredible.

Kitten: it's so painterly and magical - the angels, fruits and flowers. Otherwise I get very inspired by reading books. Biodynamics is really inspiring me at the moment because of this connection to the cosmos. I'm working on the rose at the moment: its symbolism and frequency.

Scarlett: It’s awful to say, but roses weren’t ever my favourite, but I’ve had this new awakening to the romance of the rose.

Kitten: When you start understanding more about the rose, it’s so extraordinary. There are so many layers to them.

Scarlett: What’s your everyday wardrobe?

Kitten: Obviously my lippy (I’ve got about 20 on the go right now), and the flowers in my hair. I actually sleep with flowers in my hair! I have a big selection in lots of colours. My mum was quite concerned in the winter when I started wearing big black roses because I wanted to honour the darkness, but now we’re out of that, the pink is back. In the summer, I’ll garden in dresses. I like to dress up for the garden. Why not?

Scarlett: In the morning, do you just choose a colour depending on your mood?

Kitten: Yes, probably even subconsciously.

Scarlett: Do you collect anything?

Kitten: I collect a lot out in nature for the incense. I'm also a big crystal collector.

Scarlett: Is there a book or podcast that’s stuck with you?

Kitten: Eastern Body, Western Mind by Anodea Judith is really amazing, all about the nervous system. I’ve got half way through but I've got a calling to finish it.

Scarlett: What is the flower you’ve been most excited to see this season?

Kitten: The roses. I cannot stop thinking about some that we planted that have a really strong scent so I'll be making rose oil with them.

Scarlett: Do you have a favourite season?

Kitten: I love spring. There’s such a transformation which is so amazing. But I also love winter. I find it a very reflective, spacious time. I learn a lot about myself. Also, the snowdrops were amazing last year.

Scarlett: Is it because of all the rain?

Kitten: Yes it must be. They only last a couple of weeks but they're such a symbol of rebirth.

Scarlett: And the shape of them! Bibi loves them and keeps saying “is it spring yet?” Do you have a favourite project you’ve worked on?

Kitten: Working at Heckfield Place was a big part of my journey and something I was very proud of. I worked with amazing, extraordinary, inspiring people, focusing on sustainability and floristry, really looking at the season and not importing. I'm also really excited with my current work on plants and gardens - I want to put things in the ground and see them grow and create these beautiful spaces where people of all ages and nature can thrive together and make memories.

Scarlett: Yes - plants and flowers you remember forever.