Lily's Flowers: A 20-Year Journey of Floral Excellence

This year, we're celebrating a monumental milestone: 20 years of Lily's Flowers! Founded by director, Rebecca Ellis, our journey from humble beginnings to becoming one of the UK's leading wedding and events florists has been an incredible one. Rebecca herself admits the brand has grown beyond her wildest imagination, and if you ask anyone in the South East of England, they've likely heard of us.

Join us as we explore the highs, the lows, and the passion behind this hugely successful luxury floral brand.

From Childhood Dreams to a Creative Spark

The Lily's Flowers story began 20 years ago, but its roots stretch even further back to 1983. At just 11 years old, Rebecca won a flower competition at school. Little did she know this would be the start of her lifelong connection with flowers.

In a wonderful twist of fate, Rebecca recently posted a picture of this childhood memory on social media and received an email from the very woman who taught the class, Adele Silvey! Adele was delighted to hear Rebecca was still working with flowers, and they have made plans to meet up this year. Keep an eye on our social media channels for updates on this special moment during our 20th-anniversary celebrations! 

From Fine Art to Floral Artistry

After leaving school, Rebecca's passion for the arts led her to study a Foundation in Fine Art at Berkshire College of Art and Design, where she quickly excelled. Eager to hone her creative skills further, she went on to Wimbledon School of Art to study Theatre and Stage Design. Her natural talent and flair for being incredibly organised led to a successful career as a buyer and set decorator in the film industry.

It was during this time that a new love began to blossom. Rebecca's work frequently took her to New Covent Garden Market to buy flowers and sundries for film and TV sets. Surrounded by the ever-changing seasons of flowers, she admits she fell in love every time she walked into the market. This creative and vibrant world made her soul feel "happy and alive."

The Leap of Faith: Starting Lily's Flowers

Despite her successful career, Rebecca felt a burning desire to find her true calling. At 32, she made the bold decision to leave London, return to Surrey, and start her own business. It was during this period of planning that her now husband and boyfriend at the time, Darren, gave her the life-changing advice: "You love flowers, you're so good at it, so take the plunge and just do it!"

Taking his words to heart, Rebecca launched her floral business. With a natural talent for colour, design, and visual impact, she started with a small stall in Virginia Water. Her grandad, who started out as a greengrocer, offered her not just a space but some priceless advice: "The most important lessons you will learn are ones that cost you money." To this day, Rebecca still hears his wise words whenever she makes a business decision.

Her passion and skill were quickly admired by many. She secured weekly contracts with large brands and private homes, and soon became a preferred florist for prestigious Surrey & Berkshire wedding venues. Realising she had outgrown the small stall, Rebecca began searching for a new location where she could truly flourish. She wanted a grand space to create the huge, wild installations she believed were missing from the market. This led her to a barn at Broadway Green Farm in Lightwater, a perfect setting she fell in love with 18 years ago, and which remains home to Lily's Flowers to this day.

Hard Work and High-End Clients

With Rebecca at the helm, the team at Lily’s Flowers grew quickly. Her vision and determination transformed the business into a floral powerhouse, attracting contracts for weddings and events that poured into the farm. Venues came directly to her, eager to make Lily’s their preferred florist. While the journey was immensely rewarding, Rebecca is the first to admit it wasn't always easy, requiring long hours, hard work, and a relentless passion to make the business a success.

Her unique floral approach soon caught the eye of some of the country's most exclusive venues. Our list of prestigious clients includes Great Fosters, Wentworth Golf Club and Estate, and Stoke Park. It wasn’t long before our designs were also requested for luxury homes, including those of members of the Royal Family. We've been trusted to deliver our signature floral style all over the UK and even internationally.

Pivoting in a Pandemic

In March 2020, the world changed. The COVID-19 pandemic brought the wedding and events industry to a halt, hitting florists hard. But Rebecca wasn't one to sit back and wait. She saw an opportunity to keep the brand alive by exploring new avenues, and a small outlet at a local garden centre called Lavershot Barns presented itself.

While she had never intended to venture into floral gifting, Rebecca quickly found a new love for this part of the industry. The team embraced the new challenge, and Lily's took to social media with a popular "Friday Flowers" initiative, which allowed customers to enjoy a touch of luxury in their own homes. This pivot wasn't just a temporary fix, it became a permanent and seamless extension of the brand.

When normality resumed, Lily’s was determined to continue the retail side of the business. An opportunity arose to open a shop, but after consulting with her long-time friend and industry expert Morgan-Douglas Nuth F|B|C, Rebecca realised she didn't need one. Instead, a new business development programme was launched, allowing Lily's to expand directly from their farm location.

This strategic move led to a brand-new website, an expanded range of floral gifts for all occasions, and the launch of the hugely successful Lily’s Flowers School. By adapting and innovating, Lily's not only survived the pandemic but thrived, future-proofing its place as one of the UK’s leading floral design brands while remaining true to its humble beginnings.

Looking to the Next 20 Years

Rebecca and her team's sheer determination has ensured that the journey of Lily's Flowers is far from over. With a new direction and a stronger-than-ever brand, we’re setting our sights on an even brighter future and look forward to celebrating our next big birthday.

An Unforgettable 20th Anniversary Year

This year has been nothing short of spectacular! We've had the honour of creating floral masterpieces for hundreds of weddings and events, making countless dreams come true, one client even telling us we are “Magic Makers” which we just love that statement! In just eight months, our web shop has already delivered over 500 gifts, sending floral emotions to families and loved ones across the southeast and beyond!

To top it all off, we're absolutely thrilled to announce that Lily’s Flowers has been nominated for Wedding and Event Florist of the Year by the British Florist Association. This is a true honour, especially as we were nominated by our industry peers. We are delighted to share that on 4th August 2025, we were accepted into the next round of the competition!

The judges have cast their votes, but now it's our turn to ask for your help. The public vote is open, and your support can help us make this our best anniversary celebration yet.

This journey has been incredible, and we have loved every minute of it. It simply would not have been possible without the amazing customers who have supported us for 20 years.

If you have loved our story and our flowers, we would be so grateful for your vote. 

Ready to vote? Click here to help Lily's Flowers win Wedding and Event Florist of the Year!

The Magic Behind the Brand

None of this incredible journey would have been possible without the amazing team at Lily’s Flowers. Rebecca wants to extend a heartfelt thank you to every single person who has helped build this brand. They are the true "Magic Makers" who keep the brand alive with their dedication and passion.

We'll soon be sharing a series of short stories to introduce you to the wonderful people behind the scenes, giving you a chance to get to know the individuals who make Lily’s Flowers such an amazing place to work.

Thank you to the team for being a part of this remarkable 20-year story.

Keep up to date with all the fabulous floral fun with Lilys Flowers: click here to join & connect with us your way