Tag Archives: christmas

Bloom of the Month – Pansies!

Pansies are an eternal favourite for cool weather blooms!

They like lots of water in well drained soil. They like sun but cooler weather. They are perfect for pots or flower beds & ground cover, as they are surprisingly robust little plants!

Pansy blooms come in a huge variety of colours, from black to white, red to orange to yellow, as well as purple & blue.

This flower derives its name from the French word for thought, pansee. As a result, the pansy is a symbol of thought and thoughtfulness.

Pansies are not commercially grow cut flowers but are widely used in food decoration, as pansies are one of several edible garden flowers! They have a mild minty flavour.

As they have shorter stems, when picked, they are perfect for small ornate vases. Taking up less room, they are beautiful blooms for your nightstand or bathroom sink! They may not last as long as some blooms, but their little faces bring just as much joy!

Tropical Blooms Workshop

Take advantage of the current rattan furniture trend and learn how to create a stunning tropical arrangement at our Tropical Blooms workshop!⁣

Utilise the last of the summer blooms and make summer last all year round by creating contemporary interpretations of this staid classic.⁣

Think St Tropez, think Barbados, think drinking Barcardi cocktails in Cuba!! Book through the link!⁣

This stunning design & 📷 is from the style makers @onekingslane NY

Perfect work benches for floristry!

Flashback to a few weeks ago when our classroom was buzzing with activity with all our Flower Basics students!⁣

We absolutely love our work benches which are what is called an “Ikea Hack”! The table tops are from Ikea, then the legs have been custom fitted to make the height correct for standing and arranging as well as having wheels added to the bottom for movability. Then a nice thick coat of gloss added to the wood to make it more robust and resistant to scratches and water damage!


Thanks to our lovely teacher Natalie’s husband Cos for sorting those out for us!! X⁣

Dahlias

Dahlias really are a magnificent flower. Adding colour, and body with their many layers of petals. Their exquisite beauty comes from the daisy family.⁣ ⁣

Originally from Mexico and parts of south America, the symbolism of the Dahlia can vary depending on the colour.

Some common meanings of the Dahlia flower include:⁣

  • Staying graceful under pressure, especially in challenging situations⁣
  • Traveling and making a major life change in a positive way⁣
  • Standing out from the crowd and following your own unique path⁣
  • Staying kind despite being tested by certain life events⁣
  • Commitment to another person or a certain ideal⁣ ⁣

 

The Victorians used the Dahlia to signify a lasting bond and commitment between two people, so Dahlia’s are absolutely perfect for wedding bouquets, or perhaps an anniversary gift!⁣

Banksia

There are 173 Banksia species, and all but one occur naturally only in Australia. The flower heads are made up of hundreds (sometimes thousands) of tiny individual flowers grouped together in pairs.

The colour of the flower heads usually ranges from yellow to red, browns and orange. Many species flower over autumn and winter so they should be becoming available soon!⁣
Banksia’s are a very rich source of nectar, and indigenous Australians would use them as a sweet boost! Either sucking the nectar straight from the flower or soaking it in water for an energy drink!⁣

Don’t forget about these beauties when creating an arrangement, they add unique colours and textures both with the flower and the leaves!⁣

The Lotus Flower

The Lotus flower has a deep connection with many religions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Egyptology & Bahai.⁣

In Buddhism, they represent purity of mind, speech & body. The Lotus grows in muddy water and blossoms at the top, still attached to it’s long stem in the mud below.⁣

Lotus look so gorgeous on their own in a simple bowl/vase on your desk or bedside, and are a great reminder to be present and breathe.

 

CAREER CHANGE GRADUATE SPOTLIGHT – Andrea Onans-Sanchez

It was an absolute delight having Andrea in our Career Change classroom in 2018. Andrea had already started her floristry business before coming to Bloom and since graduation Andrea has been moving forward in her floristry career in leaps & bounds! We are so thankful for her giving up her time to tell us about her floristry journey…..and her pooch Prince!

What did you do before studying floristry?

Before studying floristry I travelled quite a lot and lived overseas. Prior to that I completed a Diploma in Interior Design at RMIT, I always knew I wanted to do something on the creative side career wise.

Tell us a bit about you, where did you grow up, where do you live now, what are your favourite things?

I grew up in the Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne in Blackburn for most of my childhood, we then moved overseas to South Korea for 3 years (yes I know crazy right!?). By 10 years old we came back and settled in Croydon North, our family home where I still live. I will be moving to Croydon Hills with my beautiful partner very soon! So excited as I’ve wanted to live in Croydon Hills ever since I can remember. I love this area, green everywhere you turn and so many cute cafes. I have so many favourite things! Don’t we all!? But to name a few… my dog Prince, he brightens every single day, he’s a gorgeous border collie we like to go for walks in the reserve behind our house where I can admire all the greenery and nature while he can prance around! I love the beach it heals me and is my happy place and gives me clarity, as well as the Warrandyte river. Outdoors is a big yes for me! Ahhhh I could go on and on, just going to a cafe for breaky with my partner, mum and brother is gold, spending time with the fam, travelling and of course creating. Floristry is my therapy, my creative getaway and other happy place. And lastly, chocolate chocolate & more chocolate.

What inspired you to make the change to floristry?

I have been saying for quite a few years that I really wanted to complete a floristry course, years!!! It was just about finding the right time and letting everything fall into place, which it did! I worked at a cute local florist around my area for a few years while completing my Interior Design course but thought nothing of it in terms of my future in floristry until I started to travel, see things, the beauty of nature and stepping into every florist shop front I came across. All my experiences have lead me to this floristry path.

Why did you choose Bloom College?

I chose Bloom College because it seemed like the perfect fit. I would go to the Melbourne Flower Show year after year and would see the Bloom College stand every time and loved the work they did and kept looking into it the courses they provided online. I saw that they offered a 6 month course which I thought was great, not too short and not too long! Their course structure appealed to me as well as their style and the hands on part of it too. So, I had to do it! I had enough of umming and aahhhing, it’s the best choice I ever made! Woohoo!

What do you want working with flowers to give you that your previous career/s did not?

Happiness, therapy, satisfaction & a challenge. The four best and most important things for me.

Do you want to have your own floristry business? If so what will you specialise in?

I currently have my own business, I started it in March 2018 right before I started the course. I already had some experience and thought it would be great to progress along the the way while studying with Bloom College. I don’t specialise in anything particular at the moment I’m giving everything a go to see what I love the most. At the moment though I am loving weddings/events, installs and workshops!

What is your vision for the future of your business and or the industry?

I would absolutely love to have my own studio and shopfront that is my absolute dream and major goal!

Who inspires you?

All creatives inspire me, I will spend about 30 minutes each day on social media admiring the work of florists, artists and all creatives really!

What is your preferred design style?

Organic & flowy.

Find Andrea online here, here & here!

 

Blooms of the Month – December 2018

Poinsettia

Nothing quite says Christmas like a poinsettia plant! Native to Mexico, they have clusters of modified leaves that are usually a bright red but also come in creamy whites, peachy tones and pinks and are often mistaken for petals.

Poinsettia’s are perfect for decorating your front door step or the inside of your home around Christmas time, my favourite spot is under the Christmas tree.

They like indirect light for at least 6 hours during the day, and hate to be cold. Only water when soil is dry and avoid getting water on the leaves.

Holly

A beautiful little bush or shrub that is close to our hearts here at Bloom College! Holly comes is a wide variety of species but is best known for the small red berries it produces.

When you think of Holly you may initially think of English Holly, with it’s dark green, spiked leaves but Australia has it’s own variety as well.

This variety has softer leaves but still has the beautiful red berries – perfect for using in your Christmas themed arrangements this year.

Hippeastrum

Perfectly timed to flower at the end of Spring and all the way through December, Hippeastrums are absolutely stunning. Available in red and white, and numerous patterns in between, these lilies look stunning in a Christmas themed arrangement or just on their own for any occasion!

Grab some while they’re blooming!

How to make a Christmas Door Wreath with a Wire Base

Get into the spirit of Christmas with this demonstration by Bloom College founder Yvette Timmins.

For more free arrangement videos, join our FREE Budders Club community.