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Graduate Profile – Judith Harvey

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I completed the Bloom College career change course in 2019 in Alyssa’s Collingwood studio after enrolling in Yvette’s Flower Basics course earlier that year.

After graduating, I placed an ad on Gumtree seeking work as a florist assistant and from this I was contacted by a business based in Brisbane that specialises in pop up creative workshops. They asked me to run some flower crown workshops that they had bookings for in Melbourne for hen’s functions. This was a lovely gentle way to begin working with flowers and people. It was a delight to be part of such a happy and receptive groups of women, and whilst working on their crowns, they often spoke quite candidly about life in general.

With the onset of COVID, online flower orders took off and that opened my next door. I began working for LVLY, making jar posies by the bucket load to keep up with the overnight demand. Whilst not working directly with my customers, I worked with small teams of florists and learnt so much from each of them, as their backgounds were so varied.

As restrictions eased, so did the online demand, but now I had some resume experience which I took to a lovely florist business in my local area (Mornington Peninsula) called Tully’s. They hired me and I can honestly say I have the best job I could ever wish for. I work with beautiful product, in a lovely setting as part of a small team. We share the week between us.

Apart from being able to make beautiful things each day, the hidden aspect of floristry has revealed itself – people share their stories with you when they buy flowers, and you can be part of the joy or give support and presence when the situation is not a happy one. You know if you have done well by the look in the customer’s eye.

As well as all of this, I am often called on for random everyday flower deliveries for friends and their contacts, which is an additional element.

One of the best aspects of being a florist is being able to walk around with the inner tools to look at flowers and foliage and create something of beauty wherever you happen to be, and the constant learning and development that comes from being part of an evolving industry.

Training at Bloom would have to be one of the best things I have ever chosen to do in my life.

Best regards,

Judith Harvey

Please follow Judith’s journey via Instagram:

@judithplainandsimple

@simplestems_

Flower Industry Australia launches with a national vision of one industry together – unite, protect and connect.

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Flower Industry Australia launches with a national vision of one industry together to unite, protect and connect.

Flower Industry Australia (FIA) , a newly formed nationally represented peak body for flower growers and florists, will officially launch this month.

With the mantra of “unite, protect and connect” it aims to provide national advocacy for macro and micro flower growers and florists on a number of industry issues such as Biosecurity and Country of Origin Labelling, as well as promoting nationwide industry connections, access to industry specific industrial relations, events and promotions.
It has grown from the vision of a small group of passionate flower industry professionals, who recognised that the Australian flower industry urgently needed to form a more unified approach in order to flourish.

The CEO of FIA and the inaugural Board of Directors consists of 10 men and women with working backgrounds in floriculture (at both micro and macro scales), floristry, floral education, biosecurity, and law, allow representation and advocacy at all levels across Australia..
Although still in its infancy, FIA has already lobbied with the government on important issues currently affecting the industry, including biosecurity matters relating to cut flower imports and country of origin labelling.

Memberships are now open, to all growers and florists across the country offering access to industrial relations support, online directory listing, Australian Flower Magazine, advocacy to government and many other benefits. Whether a micro farmer, a glasshouse grower, a ‘bricks and mortar’ florist, a large events florist or even a student entering the flower industry– FIA will advocate for all on the issues that affect them in the industry.

Job Roskam , CEO, said “Since I arrived 20 years ago in Australia many growers have stopped growing flowers. The current flower growers are determined to stay in the industry and some of them have come together to set up Flower Industry Australia. Flower Industry Australia will work to reverse the decline in the number of growers to create a strong future for new growers, and the next generation of growers.”.

FIA Board Member, Lawyer and NSW Farmers Board Member Sal Russo welcomed the national launch adding “stronger biosecurity is required to secure our future – more needs to be done and a national approach with FIA is pivotal “
All monies earned and raised through FIA will be spent within the Australian flower industry for the benefit of FIA members.

FIA looks forward to welcoming you – together we will grow –stronger together.

For more information about flower Industry Australia and their memberships , please view www.flowerindustryaustralia.com.au or contact Job Roskam at ceo@flowerindustryaustralia.com.au

About Flower Industry Australia®
Flower Industry Australia is the newly formed national representative body for Australian flower growers and florists. Flower Industry Australia represents and advocates for its grower and retailer members at both national and state level on issues affecting the industry. Flower Industry Australia is governed by a board of appointed directors who are either growers, retailers and/or in possession of skills deemed beneficial to the Flower Industry in Australia. Please visit www.flowerindustryaustralia.com.au

Meet Sandy McKinley Founder of ‘Acre of Roses’ Trentham

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Flower Therapy – Feed Your Soul with Flowers

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How to make a Terrarium

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Nature provides Hope

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So much has transpired over the past months as the bush fires raged through the country. My mum’s town was evacuated and all surrounding towns were burnt out, we are grateful to the universe for keeping her safe and for the brave, selfless and tireless work of the fire-fighters. The power of human spirit collectively is really remarkable and if anything good can come from devastation and tragedy it is the reminder of our oneness. Last weekend, as the latest fires had just broken out in nearby ACT, I attended a workshop with the magical Gabby Bernstein. Two thousand beautiful souls were in attendance and through mediation we prayed for rain. As the workshop came to a close the heavens opened and the rain poured down. The following day my Mum sent me the following images. One photo was taken the day before the rain and the other taken just a few days after the rain. To me, this image provides hope as it’s a visual of the resilience of the land and nature as a whole. Nature is forgiving of past events and grows and evolves to be stronger than before. This, of course, does not mean we can use and abuse and there will be no end, everything has its level of tolerance. Nature provides us with lessons for our own lives when we take the time to watch, feel and reflect.

My hope is that you and your families are safe and well and feel immense hope for the future, not despite past events but because of them.

With hope, love & gratitude,

Yvette x

Image ‘out of the ashes’ supplied by local Janice Newnham in The Upper Murray Area of Victoria

‘The rearview vision is not the way forward’.

Is the Floral Industry Recession-Proof?

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Are we entering into a recession? If you believe the media and politicians then yes, apparently so! With the recent bush fires, terrorist attacks and the outbreak of the Coronavirus many people are certainly feeling the fear. History shows us that during such times of recession and depressions, the few industries that survived and even prospered were; sporting clubs, bars, pubs, and casinos. When I first learned this years ago, I was initially surprised that people would, in my mind waste such a precious resource as money in such dire times. Yet once it was explained to me that people need outlets and distractions away from the current source of pain and deflect it onto something else, I really began to understand. What interested me most was that the majority, if not all, of these distractions, only gave short term enjoyment and offered just fleeting glimmers for ‘feeling good’. Further to that science now understands its the surge of dopamine the short term feel-good hormone that is released, which is also received by the chemicals hidden in junk food. Therefore it’s no surprise that today our distractions are often still addictions, of one kind or another, anything that can supply us with a burst of dopamine, such as social media and yes the pubs, bars, and casinos have not left our society and possibly never will. The good news is there is a surge in society to follow a more sustainable path, sustainable meaning its lasting, self-fulfilling and doesn’t have the hangover so to speak. As we have entered 2020, the decade of ‘emotion’ we are predominantly wiser beings having awakened to the errors of the past. This more sustainable path that we seek leads to long-lasting health and wellness and includes but is not limited to personal development, including yoga, gardening, meditation, cooking and a long list of various creative hobbies and holistic health practices. Ok, so what has this to do with flowers and the floristry industry as a whole. Well before I explain, allow me to cover the obvious, people will always get married and have weddings to celebrate. The circle of life is inevitable, so funerals will continue and in my mind, there is no better final gift to a loved one that the healing energy of beautiful heartfelt fresh flowers. The larger reason for why I believe flowers and plants will remain and grow in societies level of importance is the following;

What we have seen emerge as a trend is people choosing to make more time and place greater importance on beautifying their sacred space, their safe haven is their home and the prediction is, it’s not going away it will only increase.

Plants provide hope and remind us how resilient living beings are ‘hint that is US too’. They do this when we fail to give them sufficient water or light and show no sign above the pot they live in that life is present, yet in the soil underneath that life force still breathes as its supported by the nutrients held within the soil. When we do renew their moisture and supply of natural light they show us very quickly with the promise of fresh green shoots that life is within. Plants and fresh flowers clean the air of toxins, the most powerful at this task is our friendly Spathiphyllum plants also known as Peace Lilies and Sansevieria also known as Snake Plant or pre 2000 politically incorrectly known as ‘mother in laws tongue’. Personally, after a home renovation, I saw first hand the power of the Spathiphyllum plant at work. Post-renovation I placed the plant back into the home where the recycled wooden floorboards had been laid and stained, within less than 24 hours the healthy lush green plant had wilted and the leaves turned black. The plant had absorbed the toxins within the house. Not only did this serve as a warning to either leave the home for a few days or purchase an air purifier or more plants but it also was a great visual representation as to how important and efficient they are at cleaning the air. remarkably the plant revived and flourished as the air the home was back to clean.

What we also see a heightened awareness of is the current Mental Health in society, it’s no secret that our previously chosen vices only perpetuate the very issues we are utilizing them to escape from.

Fresh flowers in vases give us so much more than their visual beauty, they hit just about every one of our pleasure senses, sight, touch, and smell. However, I like many believe their greater power is not seen but only. Flowers infuse our homes and workspaces with the highest positive vibes that science can measure. Does this calming energy offer help to shift from a sympathetic state to that of a parasympathetic one (fight or flight), I believe in my experience yes absolutely they can. Flowers have the power to raise our serotonin levels for extended periods according to research conducted by Dr. Jeanette Haviland and her team at Rutgers University.

Further to having fresh flowers in our environment providing us with their invisible beauty and power is the arranging of the flowers. Arranging flowers is a creative outlet that allows us the time, space and opportunity to connect with our own inner creativity. By stepping into a state of pure flow, spirit speaks through us, we become the channel to be guided through creativity, this is the ART form. ART standing for Allow Real-Time, allow real-time means allowing yourself space and time to BE in the present moment connecting to pure source energy (spirit). This is a sure-fire way to shift from a sympathetic state (anxious/high alert) to a parasympathetic state (relaxed/high GOOD vibe state).

So if you are a florist I hope you know hat you need to do; Share the positive benefits of what your products give people!! Do not be afraid to share it, including sharing how to arrange, you will never feel you need to ‘sell’ flowers ever again.

For more info on the science and power of flowers; https://ucmweb.rutgers.edu/magazine/archive1013/departments/spring-2010/insights/flower-power

Ponderosa & Thyme Workshop

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It is my pleasure to introduce today’s guest blogger & Bloom graduate ‘Liz Wise’. Liz was a recent participant at a Ponderosa & Thyme workshop in Suffolk England. Liz has kindly put her magical experience into words and images for us to enjoy. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have, Yvette x

“Stepping into a Fairy Tale”
Ponderosa & Thyme workshop in Suffolk England – Liz Wise

Last year I decided to invest in my creative flower loving- self and I booked into a Ponderosa & Thyme workshop. This was held at the beautiful Butley Priory in Suffolk England from the 11th to 15th July.

I have followed Katie Davis the founder of Ponderosa & Thyme for some time on Instragram and Facebook and there was no doubt in my heart that I wanted to be there. I have also been doing the Ponderosa & Thyme online class room where participants can receive monthly tutorials and playlists.

Butley Priory is a 14th century monastery and is located about 2 hrs from London in the beautiful Suffolk Coast un the United Kingdom. You can see why I call this stepping into a fairy tale. Butley puts its arms around you from the very moment you step thorough the doors. It is an enchanting house with doorways to beautiful bedrooms, windows looking out to the garden, beautiful living rooms and a kitchen that would tell many stories.

Upon arrival I was greeted warmly by Katie and her team Caroline, Ali and Annelise and was shown to my room. I soon met the other participants as they arrived from all over the world, four new friends from America, two new friends from Australia and two new friends from the UK. We all quickly settled into our accommodation and shared bubbly on the lawn and a spectacular dinner in the garden. Photos don’t capture the sound of the wine glasses tinkling and the sound of conversations and the sweet smell of the English summer evening.
Each day we ate breakfast in the garden or around the big country kitchen table inside the beautiful warm kitchen where the chef made us breakfast. Sitting with the others in the kitchen was a lovely way to start the day.

Katie is someone special. She is kind and wise and has an incredible knowledge about the floral industry. Katie tells us that this workshop is for us. She has created a space for us. We are to fill this space with whatever it is we need to.

We can learn, we can create, we can listen, we can talk, we can rest, it is a space for us.

What did I fill my space here with? I will tell you later.

Katie has help, Caroline, Ali and Annelise are there too and they share their knowledge and kindness and were always there to assist and talk. This is clearly a team that care and respect each other.

Each day we foraged in the garden and surrounding countryside, walked together, sat and talked together and attended sessions on bouquet making, we made a stunning foam free installation and a still life arrangement inspired by the Dutch masters. Along the way Katie shared her techniques for making bouquets using the “tap technique” method and another technique for what is referred to as an editorial bouquet. In addition to this Katie provides suggestions about elements of running a floral business.

Katie is not just about the flowers, she is here for the creative heart encouraging us to explore our creativity, foster dreams and to follow our intuition.

Each session was warm and welcoming and wonderfully put together to learn, create and experience something beautiful. Katie uses music to tell a story, carefully considered words to listen to and to reflect and think about ourselves, our creativity and how we can use the flowers to create something beautiful.

There were what seemed an endless supply of beautiful flowers for us to create, a carefully selected colour palette of Peonies, Roses, Statice, Astilbe, Chrysanthemums, Queen Annes’ Lace, Gyp and forages grasses, sticks and greenery (and more)…

Workshop activities also included a one on one session with Katie. This was a unique opportunity to ask questions or just chat.

The whole workshop was captured by a professional photographer Laura and these photos will be made available to us in the near future. I must admit I did put my phone down and will await the professional photos to arrive. We also had a professional model provided so all our work was captured for us to use in our own creative portfolios.

The weather was spectacular, a chef prepared every meal for us, morning and afternoon tea was in the garden. Each evening the dining table was set beautifully, and time spent talking and drinking wine.

One of the beast things is there was balance in this workshop. There was time to rest and there was time to yourself. There was always someone to talk to and always flowers available if you wanted to go and create something. There was also time to explore the house, the garden and to go foraging in the fields around Butley Priory.

The photo below is one of the workshop highlights was the Dutch Masters inspired still life creation. Tell a personal story using flowers and other items found in the house. This is of a girl sitting with her flowers picked from a garden. The story tells how she lost herself drawing the flowers she has picked. She is also holding a treasured locket and nibbling on a rose cookie.

I recently listened to a podcast and the speaker asked, “what did you do when you were a child that you lost yourself in?
I loved gardening and picking flowers from my grandmother’s garden and would lose myself drawing flowers and animals. When we were asked to create this still life arrangement it was easy. I had taken a sketch book with me and had done a drawing of the mock orange flower growing in the garden at Butley Priory. I also used the pendant Katie had given us as well as some rose cookies I had bought in a little English town on my drive up to Butley Priory.

I created an arrangement of roses, ivy, peonies and other blooms.

So what did I fill the space with that Katie provided for me?

Well I listened, I rested, I created beautiful arrangements, I learnt many new skills and made new friends. Most of all a gained reassurance to follow my intuition, what I call my creative intuition. I am not running a floristry business, but I am part of the floral industry. Being part of the floral industry can be whatever you want it to be. There is space for all of us, some of us teach, run wedding and event businesses, run flower shops, those that grow the flowers and there are those of us that find flowers inspiration for creativity such as painting and drawing.

Most of all I think it is about creating a space for yourself to be happy as well as inviting those like-minded people into your community. Be kind to others and care for the environment.

I also take away inspiration to think about following some dreams that I had put away in a little box on the shelf. Who knows what will happen next.

I would recommend all readers follow Ponderosa & Thyme on Instagram and facebook as well as visit her website https://www.ponderosaandthyme.com to find more information. Consider about investing in your creativity. I don’t regret anything.

Sending kindness to you all. I had a wonderful time.

Liz

Some workshop credits and links include:

WORKSHOP
Ponderosa & Thyme @ponderosa_and_thyme #ponderosaworkshop

VENUE
Butley Priory @butleypriory

WORKSHOP TEAM
Ali Briskey @alibdesigns
Caroline Reusen @carolinereusen
Annelies Vansant @anneliesvansantflowers

GOWNS
Joanne Fleming Design @joflemingdesign

FLOWERS
Garden Roses sponsored by Alexandra Farms @alexandrafarms

VESSELS
Accent Decor, Inc. @accentdecorin

SILK
tono & co. @tonoandco

Model @anneliesvansantflowers
Model @ceemeandtea

5 Ways That Flowers Can Improve Your Mental Wellbeing

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Do flowers really make us happy? Studies conducted by Dr Jeanette Haviland at Rutgers University would suggest so. While it certainly is great to have the scientific evidence to back it, artists, poets, florists and gardeners have known this anecdotally for centuries.

There are many creative, hands-on methods that are effective in helping those striving for improved mental health.

Mental illness is now one of Australia’s major health issues. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, one in five Australians experience a mental health condition in any given year and almost one in two will experience a mental health condition at some point in their lifetime.

The most worrying statistic of all however, is that of the 3 million Australians who are living with depression or anxiety, only 35 per cent will seek treatment, meaning that so many others are suffering in silence and likely without any support, professional or otherwise.

While many assume that the only strategies involve expensive counselling or are prescription driven, there are actually many creative, hands-on methods that are effective in helping those striving for improved mental health.

One of those I discovered myself when I experienced my first mental health ‘episode’. I was young, an award-winning florist and I had the world at my feet. However, at 24, I hit rock bottom, suffering from depression and anxiety before my passion and love for flowers pulled me from my darkest days.

There is much research to support the premise that flowers contribute significantly to a person’s overall happiness. In fact, behavioural research from Rutgers University conducted over a 10-month period explored the link between flowers and life satisfaction. Their findings show that flowers are a natural moderator of moods and have strong positive effects on emotional health, providing scientific evidence that flowers do promote happiness and joy which are certainly essential for our psychological health and wellbeing.

Based on my own experience, I believe flower arranging to be a unique and creative ‘hands on’ solution that allows people to access the healing property of flowers as a key component of an effective health and wellbeing strategy.

Here are five ways that flowers can be introduced into a weekly routine to help achieve better mental health:

1. Buy yourself a bunch from the markets. Buy yourself a gorgeous oversized vase and start filling it with different bunches of fresh flowers from the markets each week and let the heady scents fill your home for days. Research has indicated that flowers have a long-term positive effect on moods with study participants feeling less depressed, anxious, and agitated after being exposed flowers on a regular basis.

2. Plant a flower garden. Head down to Bunnings and secure yourself some seedlings. Make your weekend hobby the planting and tending to your own flower garden, the proceeds of which you’ll be able to proudly display to anyone who enters your front door.

3. Give flowers more regularly as gifts. All study participants from the Rutgers University study, in every age group, expressed excitement when receiving flowers. Reactions included surprise, genuine happiness and gratitude resulting in a deeper and more meaningful relationship between the giver and receiver.

4. DIY Flowers. If you prefer the self-taught method, join an online class on how to create your own gorgeous floral arrangement and make it a hobby to create a unique arrangement every week. You could even go one step further and create your own Instagram page to showcase your creative genius!

5. Do a course in flower arranging. Find a workshop or short course near you and enrol to learn how to turn those $10 market flowers into a floral masterpiece. Flower arranging has the power to help us enter into a parasympathetic state which moves us from flight or fight into relax and reset which makes it a very powerful ‘pick me up’ when you’re feeling down.

As published in Wellness Daily written by Yvette Timmins, founder and director of Bloom College.

Big Bouquet workshop with Alyssa

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Our Big Bouquets workshop with Alyssa in Collingwood is approaching fast! And we only have a few spots left!

Running on July 4th, learn how to create a bouquet using larger blooms and foliage.

Workshops are a great introduction to floristry if you haven’t created an arrangement before, and if you have, workshops are a great way to get inspired by new flowers, colours and other florists!

Grab a friend and book your spot here!