The lyrics and poetic melody of Cole Porter’s popular late Twenties hit ‘Let’s Do It’ inspired Zita Elze’s second installation for the RHS in her role as London Floral Artist in Residence 2018. As a florist and garden designer Zita is very much in tune with the life cycles of plants and the crucial part that insects and birds play in the process of pollination, her chosen theme.
Zita’s gently immersive creation, a ‘Pollination Dance’ playing with the lyrics “Birds do it, bees do it…” included dozens of origami birds, bees, dragonflies and other insects in sunshine colours fluttering above a magical garden scene, set for an enchanted summer picnic.
“My summer installation for the July RHS Plant and Art Fair celebrates the magic of pollination and the wonderful dance that nature leads in this vital process. I was inspired by the playful lyrics and sweet melody of Cole Porter’s song, ‘Let’s Do It – Let’s Fall in Love’, and envisioned butterflies, birds and bees dancing in and out of the trees and flowers, busy doing what they love. I wanted to transport visitors into a world of sunshine, flowers and joy while drawing gentle attention to our planet’s fragile ecology.”
Photography © Julian Winslow