floristry

The Oscars are tonight, and I thought I'd reflect on the powerful ways two of the nominated films used flowers to help tell their stories and how they urge us to remember lessons from history.

In this episode, we are thrilled to introduce our special guest, Sarah Khan, a florist renowned for her stunning, out-of-the-box wedding decor. Her impressive portfolio on Instagram is a testament to her creativity and skill. We delve into Sarah's diverse background, exploring her journey across various states during her upbringing, her educational path in financial economics, and her eventual shift from a corporate career to the world of floral design. Sarah shares the story of her transition, fueled by her lifelong passion for creating and making things, a love instilled in her by her mother.

We gain insight into Sarah's strategic approach to business and sales, skills she honed during her time at Bank of America and in health insurance underwriting. These experiences have significantly contributed to her success in the floral industry. Sarah recounts the inception of her floral business, including the challenges she faced and her decision to name the business after herself. She discusses her philosophy of creating timeless wedding decor, emphasizing her focus on the beauty and diversity of nature.

Sarah also opens up about the challenges she faced as a Muslim woman in a post 9/11 world and how this impacted her business approach and clientele. The episode delves deep into the diversity and complexity of South Asian weddings, covering various religions, cultures, and the fusion of different traditions. Sarah gives listeners a behind-the-scenes look at the intricacies of planning and executing large-scale events, discussing logistics, budgeting, and the creative process.

We also explore the growth of Sarah's business, her team dynamics, and how she manages a high volume of elaborate events. Concluding the episode, Sarah shares personal anecdotes, industry insights, and advice for aspiring florists, particularly those interested in culturally diverse weddings. This episode is a treasure trove of information for anyone passionate about floral design and the rich tapestry of cultural wedding traditions.

03:22 Sarah's Education and Early Career
06:57 Transition into Event Styling
12:18 Approach to Business and Branding
14:50 Experience with South Asian Weddings
21:41  Event Planning and Execution
22:34 Team and Workload
29:58 Understanding Client Needs and Selecting Colors
31:51 Incorporating Cultural Elements into the Design
35:13 Balancing Tradition and Innovation in Event Design
36:05 The Financial Aspects of Event Planning
41:42 The Challenges of On-Site Installations
44:21 Teaching and Mentoring in the Event Planning Industry

Hello and welcome back to the Feng Shui Flow Podcast. This week I am joined by the most gorgeous and beautiful person, Alice. Alice is a florist from the UK, and you may know Alice from ITV's This Morning. I've known Alice since I was 11 years old and she's had the most incredible journey. I can't wait for you to hear all about it in this episode!

You can find Alice on her website: https://broderie.co.uk  and on Instagram: @alicehareflorist

So much love, Kimberley xx

Work with me 1 to 1 here!

If you loved this episode don't forget to subscribe and leave a 5* review on Apple Podcasts! xx

With a passion for flowers, a one-day floristry course under her belt and many late nights on Youtube, Samantha took a chance and started her own floristry business amidst the pandemic.

In this episode, we sit down with Samantha Gallagher, the mastermind behind Peach and Petals, a dried floral business that has beautifully flourished in just three short years. Samantha shares her journey from selling bouquets on Facebook Marketplace to having her own space at CLIK Collective, the importance of celebrating those small wins and the challenges of achieving work-life-balance as a business owner.

@peachandpetals
Website: peachandpetals.com.au

“Life sprang […] from the lotus.” In this first episode of Season 3, I delve into a flower that’s closely tied to divinity and many Eastern faiths: the lotus flower. It’s an integral part of many creation stories, whether Hinduism, Buddhism, or the imagery of ancient Egypt. 

Let’s wade in together to take a closer look at a flower that not only offers spiritual guidance but informs one country’s rich culture and even the creative process.

Gathered: Storied Botanicals is a monthly podcast with room and the will to grow. It was written, recorded, and produced by Allison B. Young. Music is composed and performed by Raven Bauer Durham. Sound effects by Pixabay. You can subscribe to the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. Head over to gathered-storiedbotanicals.com to learn more. Thank you for your support!

Works Cited:
Binh, Khanah, Linh, Kim. “Lotus Blossom: The Soul of the Vietnamese Culture.” Nhan Dan News, July 2019. https://en.nhandan.vn/megastory/lotus2019/.

 
Binney, Ruth. Plant Lore and Legend. Dover Publications, 2019.

 “Lotus as a cut flower.” Pond Megastore, 2023, https://pondmegastore.com/pages/can-i-purchase-cut-lotus-flowers-for-an-event-i-am-planning#:~:text=Lotus%20are%20not%20available%20as%20a%20cut%20flower%20due%20to,the%20stem%20to%20the%20flower.


For full transcript and bibliography, head over here.

Introducing Gathered: Storied Botanicals

Gathered: Storied Botanicals is a monthly podcast—with room and the will to grow. In each episode, I delve into the world of flowers weaving my experiences as a floral designer and writer with a flower’s depth and significance. By putting each bloom under a historic, scientific, literary, folkloric, or artistic lens we can better see this fascinating world as fertile ground for teaching us how we relate to and understand the world around us.

If you’re looking for a chance to discover and explore this fertile ground or if you need a brief escape Gathered: Storied Botanicals can be your proverbial campfire to gather’ round. 

To learn more about words, flowers, and art head over to gathered-storiedbotanicals.com 

Kristen Somerville of XOX Floral explains how she went from being a passionate flower lover to florist with her own studio in Taupo, New Zealand.  The nerve wracking journey of taking what you love and turning it into a business, despite not having any formal floristry training or business experience.  Being a florist can be a scary, lonely time as a creative in a competitive market, balancing your creative ideals on the one hand and customer demands on the other.

XOX Floral calls itself a sustainable florist and has embraced the slow flower movement, using only New Zealand grown flowers in its work.  While fresh floral designs are the mainstay of the business it is becoming widely known for its dried flower selection and wildly, beautiful dried floral wreaths.

As part of the Candide Festival of Flowers, Tamsin interviews Georgie Newbery, whose whole life revolves around flowers, organically grown on 7 acres, where she creates the most dreamy bouquets, ethically.

She talks about her career path up to this point, discloses top tips for growing your own cut flowers and tells us about her favourite and most valued cut flower.

Georgie Newbery is the flower farmer and florist at Common Farm Flowers in Somerset. For the past ten years, she has been growing flowers for pleasure and profit, spearheading the resurgence in interest in locally grown British flowers.

Hosted by Tamsin Westhorpe
Edited, Mixed & Mastered by Antony Nascè
Directed by Helen Allsebrook

How many different uses do herbs have?

Roz Chandler started her flower farming business ten years ago. This podcast is for you if you want to learn more about growing your own cut flowers. Roz will cover various subjects including setting a patch, your soil, manure and compost, seeds and germination, perennials and biannuals, foliage, and so much more.

Herbs generally refers to the leafy green or flowering parts of a plant (either fresh or dried), while spices are usually dried and produced from other parts of the plant, including seeds, bark, roots and fruits. They have a variety of uses including culinary, medicinal, and in some cases, spiritual. Roz explains why as a flower farmer she grows a large selection of them - mints, sage, borage, rosemary, and lemon balm. Easy to grow herbs add that something little extra to flower arrangements.

In this episode, Roz shares her top ten herbs.

Connect with Roz Chandler: 

Website

Join my Facebook group: Cut Flower Collective

Thank you for listening. I’d love it if you subscribed to the podcast and left a review or rating.

• A Cut Above Waitlist: https://fieldgateflowers.kartra.com/page/ACutAboveWaitlist
• The Growth Club: https://fieldgateflowers.kartra.com/page/thegrowthclub
• Lots of free resources on our website: www.thecutflowercollective.co.uk
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fieldgateflowers
• Facebook Groups Cut Flower Farming - Growth and Profit in your business https://www.facebook.com/groups/449543639411874
• Learn With The Cut Flower Collective https://www.facebook.com/groups/learnwiththecutflowercollective

To grab some flowers from The Bloom Room checkout their new website: www.swanseabloomroom.co.uk

For behind the scenes footage of Mel's container floristry business sign up to the summit good patreon: www.patreon.com/summit_good

Mel and Mollie have been on the Summit Good site since early 2020 where they're working with the amazing Lizzie Walshaw who grows organic cut flowers on an acre space at the field.

Lizzie Walshaw: www.instagram.com/elizabethmary2

The Bloom Room: www.instagram.com/swanseabloomroom/

This week's guest is Nik Southern, Founder of Grace and Thorn flowers and widely adored as the rock 'n' roll Queen of Floristry. After quitting IT recruitment which she hated, she enrolled on a floristry course whose teacher was not enamoured by the way she did things. But she'd got the bug and after a bit of to-ing and fro-ing she made the leap; right out to the furthest edge of what you could do with a bunch of flowers. No belly domes for her, she was all out with a kaleidoscope of clashing colours, textures, and asymmetry. She was taking no prisoners and she was on a revolutionary march to setting flowers free. And then she took on the meagre pot plant; forgotten dusty, strangled specimens of the 70's, she hauled them right slap bang into the 21st Century with an accompanying book for the less green fingered amongst us, showing us "How not to Kill your Plants".  She coined the phrase "Green Up Your Gaff" and took on the fashion heavy weights to wow them with her floral installations at top end events, winning the Chelsea in Bloom People's Choice awards.

Brave New You TRIBE "Stories from the Edge" podcast host Lou Hamilton talks and laughs (watch out Nik's laugh is infectious) with Nik who shares the courage it takes to ditch the day job, and build a brand from your passion. Once she got out of her own way, she knew she wouldn't fail. She says "it starts with self-belief" and picturing a positive outcome. Throw yourself in at the deep end and the next time you have to do something terrifying you're going to be more confident.

By the end this episode this real life Brave New Girl is going to rock your pot plants and lift your spirits.

You can follow Nik on Instagram @graceandthorn and find out more about her work at www.graceandthorn.com

Join our tribe on instagram @bravenewyoutribe or www.brave-new-you.com/tribe or follow Lou @brave_newgirl

Thanks to Podstar Ltd for producing the podcast  www.podstarpr.com

Music licensed from Melody Loops

Lou is the founder of Brave New Girl Media, helping put your expertise, vision & mission in the spotlight by helping you launch and grow your podcast. https://bravenewgirlmedia.com

PODCASTING SERVICES:
Podcast production service

COURSES:
Podcast planning workbook
Podcast Guesting course


BOOK A CALL:
Get in contact to book a 30 minute discovery call with Lou.

Books by Lou Hamilton:

• Dare to Share- International bestselling guide to podcast guesting
• FEAR LESS- coaching guide to living more bravely
• Brave New Girl- How to be Fearless
• Co-author: Women Excelling Everywhere #1 International Best-seller

Paintings by Lou @LouHamiltonart

After the success of the new Netflix series The big flower fight we speak with the brilliant Steph & Monet who took part in the show
These girls are going to do big things x

To find out more about them and their businesses pop on over to

https://www.stephlovellflowers.com
https://www.monetsfloristry.com
https://www.netflix.com

LINKS TO THINGS WE DISCUSS IN THE SHOW

My website and Instagram

Marianne’s Website, Instgram and Pinterest

Marianne’s new e-book ‘Cut Flower Growing: A Beginnners Guide’

Hannah Bullivants Tingly Goals

Don’t forget if you’ve enjoyed today’s episode pass it on and share it to someone who you think would enjoy it too. I appreciate all the feedback and each and every share so much thank you!

Thank you so much for listening.  I hope you have a lovely week! See you next time x

Today Jess and Vic talk to Georgia Miles of The Sussex Flower School. 
We talk about Georgias beginnings as a language teacher through to her creating her flower school aimed at providing affordable floral education for all
We absolutely love Georgia's energy and enthusiasm for the industry and we know you will too!
x


To find out more about the courses that Georgia runs throughout the year, please head on over to
https://www.thesussexflowerschool.co.uk

Today Jess & Vic speak with Rachel Wardley founder of Tallulah Rose Flower School which is based in the heart of Cumbria.
We absolutely loved speaking with Rachel and this episode is so full of advice, guidance and knowledge.
For more information on courses at Tallulah Rose Flower school please go to their website

https://www.tallulahroseflowers.com
https://www.instagram.com/rachelwardleystyle

Show notes

• https://www.janepackerdelivered.com
• https://www.comptongardenflowers.co.uk
• https://www.pipleyflowers.com
• https://www.millstreamflowers.com
• https://www.simplybyarrangement.co.uk
• https://www.theflowerhunter.co.uk
• https://www.firenzafloraldesign.co.uk
• https://www.floribundarose.com
• The British Flowers Book by Claire Brown, Vanessa Birley & Emma Davies available to buy from https://thebritishflowersbook.co.uk

Today Vic & Jess speak with Jen Evans of Liberty Lane flowers. Jen is a wedding and events florist based in the beautiful Cotswolds.
We speak about her quick rise to fame, where she finds her fabulous clients from, her thoughts on the foam free movement and much more.
See Jens beautiful work:
Website www.libertylaneflowers.com
Instagram @libertylaneflowers

Show notes

• Jen discusses her background before she delved into the floral industry (01:49)
• Before stating her business, Jen attended a career course at The Tallulah Rose Flower School www.tallulahroseflowers.com ( 03:06)
• Jen has built Liberty Lane over the last 4 years from the ground up and her business is going from strength to strength (07:06) 
• We talk about the investment it takes to create a successful business and how important it is to have the support of your partner (09:15)
• The value of good customer service (13:14)
• Jen used to live in Australia and loves what the florists there are creating with their weddings(17:23)
• Jen florist crushes: www.instagram.com/trillefloral  www.instagram.com/ohflorastudio www.instagram.com/missfleuriste (18:33)
• Jen sources her blooms from a selection of suppliers www.realflowers.co.uk www.compotongardenflowers.co.uk  www.flowergardenatstokesaycourt.co.uk  www.newcoventgardenmarket.com (20:16)
• We talk about burnout and work/life balance (30.54)
• Jens flower friends and community www.instagram.com/tiger.by.the.tail (35:54) 
• www.instagram.com/agnesandbee (41:26)
• Quick Fire question asked by www.instagram.com/sophiemayfloral (42:38)
• Quick fire question asked by www.instagram.com/joannaandalso (50:14)
• www.instagram.com/janiceissitt_life_style
• www.instagram.com/theflowerpreservationworkshop (53:17)
• www.instagram.com/janiceissitt_life_style (55:29)
• Foam free movement (56:06)
• Instagram, taking your own images and the power of professional photography(01:02)

Tips on choosing wedding flowers! Get the ultimate wedding flowers checklist here!
Plus, get a special discount on wholesale flowers.  Listen for info. :)

xo
Emma + Andrew