Some time late last year an email popped up in my inbox from Ellie Jauncey of The Flower Appreciation Society. Being something of a fan of flowers / floristry / gardens it had my attention simply at their name, it’s no secret I appreciate florals of all kinds now is it? An invitation to visit the studio and have a flower arranging workshop to boot was all it took for the calendar to be opened and the date agreed.
The Flower Appreciation Society is the joint venture of Ellie and her business partner Anna Day (who said hello briefly after popping out to collect some coffee and cake and then left to run another group workshop elsewhere in London) after they met while working together in a local pub. Soon realising they share a love of flowers they began their adventure in floristry in the back room of that same pub 6 years ago.
Now they share this beautiful studio space with other creative folk where half of the ground floor is dedicated to their floristry and is full of shelves of vases. And swans. And shells. And jars. And anything that will hold a stem or several. Do they have a favourite? Ah yes, they search for a glass head that holds a single stem. It’s well hidden and brilliant, you can just about make it out on the photo above.
These photo’s don’t show all the vessels though, there were many more besides! Ellie and Anna create floral displays for weddings and events across London working from the large table in the middle of their studio space. Unlike other florists they simply buy their flowers to order and as a result have much less in the way of wasted blooms than your average florists shop. They also run workshops in the space where you can learn anything from hand tied bouquets and floral head dresses to DIY wedding flowers.
This year also sees a new venture in the form of a cutting patch. Although still in it’s very early stages I’ve heard the planting plans, it sounds perfect. I’m all for local flowers wherever possible and they don’t get more local than a garden not far from the flower studio.
And then, if that weren’t a portfolio to be proud enough of, last year saw The Flower Appreciation Society book launch. An A to Z of All Things Floral is a beautiful book with the happiest cover. Illustrated throughout by Anna herself (yes no end to their collective talents) the book includes everything from flower species to how to make a headdress with a bit of a hello to the flower market and its traders / the purposeful bumblebee / edible flowers along the way. A brilliant reference for all things floral just as the title says.
Of course I must mention the workshop. Ellie’s enthusiasm is infectious and I had such fun filling the shell shaped vase with a riot of blooms in cheerful colours. I went with a bit of a more is more approach, it was impossible not to with the variety of flowers in front of me. I wanted to use them all! Except maybe the sweet peas because I still can’t get my head round them being available in March…
This is Ellie’s creation. Beautiful isn’t it? I love the flow of the twigs.
And this is mine.
I might be ridiculously pleased with myself about it too! Not quite as delicate as Ellie’s but for a first attempt I’m happy. If you fancy creating a display like this of your own then have a look at the Table flower workshop next being held on 24th September and if it’s not for you then there are other workshops listed here too.
Modern floristry is an exciting thing and Ellie and Anna know their industry well. And who doesn’t love beautiful flowers…?
Julia x
The Flower Appreciation Society links
Website – theflowerappreciationsociety.co.uk
Instagram – @flowersociety
Twitter – @flowersociety
