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Florists share top tips for creating a beautiful bouquet

We sit down with three top Kiwi florists to get their take on current floral trends, flower arrangement tips and more
NZ Flowers Week

To celebrate the launch of the first ever New Zealand Flowers Week, which kicks off today, we chatted to three leading florists from around the country to find out their top tips for creating a beautiful flower arrangement, how to make the most of your garden this spring and summer and more.

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For more floral cuteness, check out our behind-the-scenes video and photos from the NZ Flowers Week photo shoot featuring dogs in flower crowns and collars.

A model dons a stunning floral headpiece created as part of a series of installations for NZ Flowers Week. Photo: Supplied

Kathryn Fleming from The Flower Project

1. What’s your favourite part of your job?

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Being creative, working with my hands and nature in all its beauty.

2. What’s your advice for anyone looking to get into floristry?

Do some work experience first for a florist to see whether the job is the right fit for you. Florists are always keen for an extra set of hands and you will get to see the vocation in all its facets. This is so important before you take the leap to start your own business or start a course.

3. What are your tips and tricks for creating an easy flower arrangement?

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Have a focal flower which is going to be the star of the show and work from there to choose accompanying flowers and foliage that will complement and accentuate that flower’s colour and form.

4. How can people make the most of their garden this spring and summer?

I plant a large variety of flowers in my garden so there is always something interesting to look at no matter what the season. I love spring and summer the most though because this is when everything comes to life and all the hard work pays off. We have so many lovely options of New Zealand-grown flowers at the markets that I have chosen quite a few of my favourites and incorporated them into my garden.

5. What are your go-to blooms for creating a beautiful bouquet?

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Right now it’s peonies. We can’t grow them in our gardens in Auckland, they need a much colder winter than we get, so when they come into season I absolutely make the most of their short season while I can. They never fail to amaze me.

6. Have you noticed any cool new trends in flower arrangement recently?

I think most florists have a style that evolves as time moves on. Its great to be a big part of Auckland’s floral scene and to have an impact on it by giving people easy access to the more usual flowers that can be found at the markets. So the trend that I spot is people DIY’ing their own flowers more and I love it! It’s so great to see people giving flower arranging and the creativity a shot. Anything goes and it’s all about personal style.

Another floral installation created for NZ Flowers Week. Photo: Supplied

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Eden Hessel from The Botanist

1. What’s your favourite part of your job?

It would definitely be the fact that a simple or elaborate bouquet can truly make someone’s day.

2. What’s your advice for anyone who’s looking to get into floristry?

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Practice, practice, practice! Buy and play with the flowers you love. Take photos and build up a portfolio, or come to one of our floral classes!

3. What are your tips and tricks for creating an easy flower arrangement?

Simple is best, stick to two types of seasonal flowers with lush foliage and make sure your arrangement shows every bloom.

4. How can people make the most of their garden this spring and summer?

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Water them at night and pick early in the morning to enjoy over the weekend, but make sure you give your flowers enough time to develop.

5. What are your go-to blooms for creating a beautiful bouquet?

I just love anything seasonal with a large head and preferably with a scent!

6. Have you noticed any cool new trends in flower arrangement recently?

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Personally I’m a less is more kind of person! Stick to two varieties of blooms and dress them with lush accents of foliage. I also love using NZ grown flowers, they last longer and it’s great to support the local industry. That’s one of the reasons why I got involved in NZ Flowers Week.

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Jo Mann from Wild Bunch

1. What’s your favourite part of your job?

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That’s simple – it is definitely the flowers, they are the source of inspiration, from a simple bunch to a floral extravaganza, what’s not to love?

2. What’s your advice for anyone who’s looking to get into floristry?

Remove the rose tinted glasses and ask yourself if you are not afraid of hard work and truly love flowers. If the answer is still yes then go for it and don’t look back! It’s much more of a commitment than people expect, that’s why I was really keen to get involved with NZ Flowers Week, which is all about celebrating the NZ industry and buying local to support the florists and growers.

3. What are your tips and tricks for creating an easy flower arrangement?

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For flowers at home the best trick is to start with a good base of greenery. Place this in a vase of fresh water, make sure no leaves are under water and then use this to thread select flower stems into.

4. How can people make the most of their garden this spring and summer?

I’m looking forward to spending some time in my garden! We are so lucky in spring, we can cut stems of tulip magnolia for a vase and in summer fill a vase or jug with fresh hydrangea blooms or cut garden rose stems.

5. What are your go-to blooms for creating a beautiful bouquet?

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It really depends on the season! It’s so funny as you mourn the end of one flower type at the end of a season and then suddenly your world is filled with another seasonal bloom and your love affair begins again, but I have to say I do love all varieties of roses.

6. Have you noticed any cool new trends in flower arrangement recently?

The current flower trend is very natural, flowing flowers and foliage. I have recently noticed a couple of European designers are using single flower types en masse, so gorgeous!

NZ Flowers Week runs from November 21-27 this year. For more information, visit their website here.

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