Live and Artificial Indoor Planting Scheme for Edyn - Ember Locke, Kensington

Project Summary

When Edyn developed Ember Locke in Kensington, the hospitality group wanted the planting scheme to reflect the same distinctive, design-led approach that defines the guest experience across its portfolio.

Light Water Plants was appointed to design, supply and install a complete live and artificial planting scheme across the hotel’s ground-floor social spaces and selected external and high-level areas, creating a cohesive flow of greenery throughout the property.

Client

Edyn
Property

Ember Locke
Sector

Lifestyle Hospitality and Extended Stay
Service

Commercial Indoor, Outdoor and Artificial Planting
Project Value

£45,000
Completion

2023
Planting

Over 400 live and artificial plants
Key Features

Bespoke high-level foliage and UV-grade balcony planting

Services Provided

Planting design and specification, plant and pot procurement, supply, installation and snagging, ongoing indoor plant maintenance

Edyn

Edyn is a Brookfield-owned, London-headquartered hybrid hospitality and extended-stay platform, operating more than 40 properties and over 80,000 apartments globally through its lifestyle and serviced apartment brands: Locke, Cove by Locke and SACO.

Operating across the UK, Ireland, France, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands, Edyn has established a significant presence within the UK hospitality sector, including approximately 11 properties across London.

Known for creating unique, vibrant and design-led spaces, Edyn wanted Ember Locke’s planting to embody the same values that define its guest experience.

The project included planting throughout:

Hotel ground floor and lobby
Reception and co-working area
Bar and events room
Lounge and conservatory
Second-floor balcony above the main entrance

The Brief

The client required a planting scheme that would:

Support the interior designers’ specific aesthetic using carefully selected live and artificial planting.
Create a consistent flow of greenery across ground-level and high-level areas.
Use plant species suited to the available light and environmental conditions.
Introduce safe, practical high-level planting within food and beverage spaces.
Provide durable external planting for the prominent balcony above the hotel entrance and street level steps.

The project combined very different planting conditions. Low-light areas required carefully selected live plants, while high-level locations needed realistic artificial foliage that could be installed safely and maintained without disruption. All artificial planting also had to meet the relevant fire-safety requirements.

Designing the Planting Scheme

Following a detailed review of the interior designers’ aesthetic and the conditions within each space, we developed a mixed planting scheme that balanced visual impact with practical long-term performance.

Live indoor plants were selected for the ground-floor spaces, with species matched to available light levels and positioned to complement the hotel’s rich, design-led interiors. Terracotta and ceramic pots were specified to reinforce the material palette and give each display a considered, integrated appearance.

Artificial planting was used where access, height or operational requirements made live planting impractical. Bespoke 100cm foliage sections were created to dress the conservatory beams, allowing greenery to continue above the live displays below without placing live plants overhead in a food and beverage environment.

For the second-floor balcony above the main entrance, UV-grade artificial plants were specified to provide a durable, consistent display in an exposed, highly visible location.

Our Commercial Planting Solution

The completed scheme included:

Over 400 live and artificial plants across the hotel.
Premium indoor plants sourced from a specialist Dutch supplier.
Outdoor plants sourced from established UK-grown nurseries.
Fire-safety-compliant artificial plants supplied by a premium UK specialist.
Bespoke 100cm artificial foliage sections for the conservatory beams.
UV-grade artificial planting for the second-floor front balcony.
A coordinated collection of terracotta and designer focused ceramic pots.

The combination of live, artificial and UV-grade planting enabled the design intent to be carried through every area while ensuring each display was appropriate for its location, access and ongoing operational requirements.

Strelitizia Nicolai
Phlebodium Fern
Nephrolepsis Fern
Philodendron Scanden
Epiprenum
Scindapsus
Ficus Robusta
Kentia Palm
Heteropanax Chinensis
Ficus Lyrata
Monstera Deliciosa
Dracaena Pleomele Reflexa
Dracaena Fragrans
Croton
Agloanema
Anthurium
Aspidistra
Schefflera Amate
Chamaedorea Elgans
Calathea
Dracaena Surculosa
Ficus Cyastipula

Strelitzia nicolai

Phlebodium Fern

Nephrolepsis Fern

Philodendron Scanden

Epiprenum

Scindapsus

Ficus Robusta

Kentia Palm

Heteropanax Chinensis

Ficus Lyrata

Monstera Deliciosa

Dracaena Pleomele Reflexa

Dracaena Fragrans

Croton

Aglaonemas

Anthurium

Aspidistra

Schefflera Amate

Chamaedorea Elgans

Calathea

Dracaena Surculosa

Ficus Cyathistipula

Installation

Our installation team completed the planting programme over five days, including final snagging, with the work carefully sequenced across the hotel’s public and operational spaces.

Ground-level live displays were positioned first to establish the visual rhythm through the lobby, reception, co-working, bar, events and lounge areas. The bespoke artificial foliage was then fitted at high level to continue the scheme through the conservatory and across the external balcony.

Each display was checked against the agreed design, planting conditions and safety requirements before the installation was completed and snagged.

The completed planting scheme reinforces Ember Locke’s distinctive hospitality experience, introducing greenery throughout its principal social spaces while remaining faithful to the interior designers’ aesthetic.

Live planting brings natural texture and character to the ground floor, while the bespoke high-level foliage extends the same visual language through the conservatory without compromising the practical requirements of the food and beverage areas.

The balcony planting creates a strong, consistent impression above the main entrance, and the use of suitable low-light, fire-safety-compliant and UV-grade products ensures that each part of the scheme performs effectively in its setting.

Through a carefully coordinated combination of live and artificial planting, the project delivers a cohesive, design-led environment that supports Ember Locke’s vibrant and welcoming identity.

“Light Water Plants have supported with the design, supply & maintenance of our indoor planting within our flagship schemes’ amenity spaces. They’ve been a fantastic partner to work with. Their team oversaw a successful install under challenging conditions, working around construction delays to ensure our plants came at the right time, in the right condition, under a tight deadline. Their team on the ground has been brilliant to work with, and they continue to help keep our spaces in wonderful condition year-round.”

SERVICES