FREELANCE · WITH FROG FLOWERS · OCTOBER 2026
Halloween at Haddon Hall
Frog Flowers’ installation for Haddon Hall’s Little School of Sorcery
Creative director: David Jayet-Laraffe, Frog Flowers · Haddon Hall, Bakewell · Me: freelance florist on the team
WHOSE WORK THIS IS
Frog’s story. My hands in it.
This is Frog Flowers’ project, from first idea to last tea light. David Jayet-Laraffe, who founded Frog in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, was creative director. Every October half term Frog dresses Haddon Hall for its Little School of Sorcery, and the concept, design and direction were all theirs.
I joined the team as a freelance florist for the install weekend: building, mossing, wiring and placing, room by room. It was a weekend that sharpened what I want my own work to be.
WHAT I TOOK HOME
Floral storytelling, at full scale.
In the Banqueting Hall the palette came straight from the room: a table that dates back to the 1400s, worn stone and the faded colours of the tapestry. Nothing fought the building, and every piece on the table had something to say.
That’s the work I want to do more of. Start with a space, find the story it’s already telling, and build the flowers around it. It’s how I approach my own weddings and events, and it’s what I bring to other studios’ teams.
A story for every room.
Five tablescapes and a tree, each taking its cue from the room it stood in.
THE TREE
A tree from nothing
Twisted, sculptural vine branches built up into a tree, lanterns hung through the canopy, and a mossy base glowing with tea lights.
THE KITCHENS
An enchanted forest
Moss, ferns, ivy and more mushrooms than any kitchen should hold. Pure whimsy, lit from underneath.
BANQUETING HALL
A cabinet of curiosities
Cloches of botanical oddities and small creatures, dried seed pods, honesty, Spanish moss and gnarled branches.
DINING ROOM
A sense of place
Dried hydrangeas and sculptural pieces in muted tones, quiet enough to let the room do the talking.
In the hall.
Photos from the install weekend, a few of them mid-build.
Watch.
The installation in motion, on Instagram.
Where this connects.
Where to go next, whether you’re a studio or planning your own day.
FREELANCE
OCCASIONS
OCCASIONS
Need an extra pair of hands on an install? Here’s how I work. See freelance
A space to dress and a story to tell? Start here. See wedding flowers
Launches, dinners and rooms, told as a story in flowers. See events
CREDITS
Designed by
Frog Flowers
Creative director: David Jayet-Laraffe. Frog is his floral studio in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, and the concept, design and direction of the whole installation were Frog’s. Website · Instagram
Haddon Hall
The medieval manor house near Bakewell that hosts the Little School of Sorcery every October half term. Website · Little School of Sorcery
Photos are my own, taken on the install weekend.
Good to know.
Was this your design?
No. The concept and design were Frog’s, with David Jayet-Laraffe as creative director. I was a freelance florist on the install team.
Do you freelance for studios?
Yes. Install days, event builds and wedding prep for florists and studios across Manchester, the North West and Derbyshire, and further for the right job.
Can I go and see it?
The Little School of Sorcery ran at Haddon Hall from 26 to 30 October 2026, and Frog dresses the house every October half term. Check Haddon Hall’s events page for the next dates.
Could you do this for my event?
Yes. Bring me a space and a story, and I’ll tell it in flowers: weddings, launches, dinners and installations. Tell me about it.