On Saturday we held our much awaited Lisbon workshop. I rarely get the chance to offer workshops for locals (I am working on more ideas, so sign up here if you’d like to be included next time).
I was invited by Veronika Blyzniuchenko a Ukrainian artist now working in Lisbon, to hold a flower workshop as part of her summer program of her exhibit in a previously closed and abandoned cloister garden in Lisbon, “The Beauty is a Choice.” A friend had clued me in on the exhibit months ago, and in all honesty, the first time I walked through. I left crying. It is just a beautiful concept and story, and Veronika’s dedication to open this space and show up 6 days a week to paint, create, and manifest beauty into this world (horses, stars, swans, flowers, and crystals!) despite the horrors of our current world, is incredibly moving. I also just love Veronika’s unabashed use of pink, flowers, fanciful pattern, in a world that favors minimalism and seeks to reduce the validity of design that might be considered traditionally feminine. I was thrilled and inspired to create a flower workshop in conjunction with her vision.
I created an overflowing table of flowers which included: foraged honeysuckle, plumbago, morning glory alongside locally cultivated gomphrena, garden roses, ageratum, yarrow, and panicum. We had a table of small treats including local sparkling water infused with rose petals and verbena, rose petal strewn cakes including queques, queijada, and rose and pistachio cake, as well as rose tea.
We began the event with Veronika sharing her story and walking the guests through her exhibit, sharing her current inspirations of angels, stars, and swans which have resulted from her deepening relationship to the basillíca and garden over the months she’s been working and exhibiting there. She walked us through her star installation which raises money for the restoration of the space.
Next, I did a demo arrangement while Veronika brought out a huge canvas and painted the scene. I set the students free into the garden and space to explore, discover, and try their hand at a freestyle arrangement using some of the tips that I shared. In the beginning, I really like students to explore on their own without a lot of instruction and to feel and touch the stems. We don’t use identical vases and I encourage the students to explore the flower display and pick out the flowers that are their favorites.
It was such a special day despite some struggles with the heat and the exchanges of art, nature, and community were really special. Thank you so much to everyone who attended and of course to Veronika, who inspired the entire concept and has given me fresh inspiration for my floral work! A huge thank you to Rita de Sousa, who has generously shared her photographs of the day. Please check out her work at Sow Creative.
As a prop and floral stylist one of my favorite scenes to create on set was a tablescape. In real life, I like my tablescapes to prioritise comfort for guests, nature, and food-the entire reason we are gathering! Of course I like things to be pretty but if it feels too much like a photo shoot, people feel uncomfortable. The energy should feel flowing, casual, and provide a beautiful setting to connect. I feel ok if the linen or cotton tablecloth is a bit wrinkled, and I like the flowers to be small and an accent to the food rather than the focus. Here are a few of my favorite casual tablescapes from some of our past events.
Terra Milo is sharing her top 3 tips for marketing your flower business today here on the blog! Terra is an expert in marketing and sustainability and I’ve worked with her on my own marketing so I trust her point of view and have seen results from her advice. I hope you find these tips helpful!
A few things set your flower business apart from others, but these tips will help you stand out and set you up for success when it comes to marketing sustainable floristry.
GOODPHOTOS
Flowers are so visually beautiful, so you should highlight them whenever you can. That means taking compelling photos.
For your flower business, the key to great photos is lighting and angle.
Use natural light whenever possible and allow the light to really showcase the flowers. (It doesn’t always have to be bright light to be interesting.)
Take photos from different angles, some close up, and some far away. It’ll draw people in and make them want more… of your flowers!
CONSISTENCY
Like any business, you’ll want to show up consistently where your ideal client hangs out so that they are reminded that you exist and they’ll think of you when it’s time to buy flowers.
Make it easy for them to choose you by posting consistently.
Try to post on Instagram (or your chosen social media platform) a few times a week.
Test different times of day and different formats - photos vs videos, long vs short copy.
Some of my favorite topics include
showcase the flowers
your story
why you’re passionate about flowers
behind the scenes
tips for taking good care of the flowers they buy from you
The key is to show up consistently so you remain top of mind.
TELLYOURSTORY
Sustainable flower businesses like yours need to highlight not only the benefits of their product (the beauty, inspiration, and sense of calm that comes from flowers), but also what makes your business sustainable. People want to know how and why you’re different.
how do you choose your suppliers?
what materials do you use that are better for the planet?
what inspired you to prioritize sustainability?
how can we make sustainable choices when buying flowers, whether from you or someone else?
Even if you’re not doing it perfectly, tell your sustainability story so people can get to know you and your values. Buyers these days want to know that a business has purpose, beyond profit.
These tips will give you loads of content for your website and social media. They’ll set your flower business on a strong foundation to get new and repeat customers.
