Last week I had the chance to host and teach a flower class for 21 ladies from Faith Flowers. We had a two day program that included a flower and garden walk in Lisbon.

We held the class at Aldeia da Mata Pequena and started the day with coffee and pastel de nata and an introduction to the story of the village by Ana Partidario. Next, we had an introduction to foraging with myself and João Ferreira. After we went out on a short walk to the meadows near the windmills for flowers and to view (not cut!) the wild orchids. Some of the flowers we harvested and worked with included wild native snapdragon, cabbage flowers, wild chrysanthemum, wild mustard, wild rose, wild valerian and many more! 

We brought our flowers back for conditioning and then I did a large-scale wildflower demonstration. After the demo, we had a lovely plant-based lunch by Marta Toscano Rico who uses traditional Portuguese ingredients and methods in new ways. The menu was extensive but a few highlights included: lupine bean spread and pea and avocado spread with seeded crackers, Algarvian carrots, Leek tart, and an array of seasonal salads. Fruit and flower infused waters were included and of course we ended with cakes and coffee.

After the lunch we made two flower arrangements in Portuguese terra cotta. We worked with flowers that we foraged ourselves and supply grown here in Portugal and some floral supply pre-foraged by João. We ended the day with a little shopping at the village store (which includes an incredible selection of ceramics by José Franco). We had an amazing team of five producing this workshop and lunch in addition to incredibly generous hosting by Aldea da Mata Pequena. Thank you as always to my incredible co-host, Paula Guimarães!

Flower assistant: João Ferreira.

Host\Producer\Catering Manager: Paula Guimaraes.

Catering: Marta Toscano Rico.

Kitchen production: Paula Paixão.

If you have a private group or corporate team interested in an in-person workshop or private flower and garden retreat here in Portugal, you can message me here.

Photo 6 by Marta.

Our previously sold out flower retreat has two last minute openings! Contact me here to book your spot! We cannot take any more bookings after April 28th unless you want to book in for 2025 (we have 5 spots left for next year).

Your edit of floral ingredients is key to wild, natural compositions. Spirea branches offer curvy foliage and small, sweet, white flowers for an unruly touch to compositions. Their hefty branches and well-lasting foliage and flowers make great bases for compositions.

To harvest and condition:

Use the woody stem cut shown here

Harvest or purchase when only half the stem is in bloom and the flowers at the top are still in bud

Place in lukewarm water right away and let sit out of direct sun for a few hours before working with the stems

To compose:

Use in a monotype composition for a full, lush and simply wild arrangement

Use shorter stems as a base for low, natural compositions

Like a vine for length and curve to bring space and wildness to any size arrangement

For height in tall arrangements

As a filler

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