The Florist

17/06/2024

Have an amazing week ... continue to be awesome and grab all those new beginnings with gusto!

14/06/2024

It was a seed of an idea planted some three years ago .. last week saw the vision come to life here in the UK with the worlds first ever awareness day for the flower industry. Was it perfect - no that was never going to happen in year 1! Was it a success? You bet! In fact it was totally awesome and now looks set to go global! Read the whole story and see just a taste of what happened around the country using this link. https://theflorist.co.uk/news-1/resounding-success-for-first-national-florist-day

Lead pic: The team at The Flower Lounge in Didsbury

14/06/2024

This time last week we were getting ready for our final Live ... the evening our Editor - Caroline Marshall-Foster - donned the sequins and read out the final 20 names in the 100 Faces of Floristry. It was five nights of giggles, interaction and some tears but with more than 45,000 viewers over the five nights it truly was a celebration of the total diversity of our sector and the awesome people in it. To see the full list of all 100 Faces click the link and see how many you know. https://theflorist.co.uk/news-1/final-100-faces-of-floristry-announced

09/06/2024

There will be a lot of appreciation posts to come … for our fabulous Patrons, Ambassadors, Heroes, Flower Magicians…

However, we (Gina & AJ) want to take a moment to thank our Founder Caroline - - and give you the opportunity to show her some love and appreciation for all that she does, tirelessly promoting and bringing together the entire florist industry.

These past few months she’s worked her socks off on very little sleep, long hours and with very little hands on help to generate, launch and promote National Florist Day!

Hours of phone calls, zooms, 1000s of emails, bunting galore, hours of copywriting, image editing, video pieces, research, selling, negotiating, networking, lives, posting…. even down to postal duties to get everything that needed to get out in time!

She is the epitome of a Superwoman and Cheerleader and we think she’s fantastic.

THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO and for setting up the ultimate legacy and boost for the florist industry across the globe in the form of NATIONAL FLORIST DAY!

If you agree then please join us in celebrating her by sharing, liking and voicing your thanks.

Let’s give her that warm fuzzy feeling that Florists give their customers!

08/06/2024

08/06/2024

We are thrilled by the reaction to the first ever National Florist Day which has exceeded all our expectations ... we're wading through literally THOUSANDS of posts across all our channels so taking a tad longer than planned but we can say that THE pot made it's first trip out on the road this morning and thanks to the fabbo Brogan at Green & Bloom Plants at New Covent Garden Market has been dressed with it's first plant! OK a bit of a silly vid and the captions are useless (they obvs don't know their aspidistras from their nephs!) but what the heck ... it's supposed to be a day of fun!!!

07/06/2024

FINAL FACES OF FLORISTRY REVEALED!



Congratulations to...
81. Emma Clarke
82. Kirsty Lawson
83. Jamie Gildea
84. Terry Jack
85. Vicky Laffey
86. Steph Gillespie
87. Emily Hepworth (now Elvin)
88. Amy McMichael
89. Jenny Murphy
90. Darren Westwood
91. Debbie Western
92. David Bland
93. Merel van den Burg
94. Michelle Johnson
95. Laura Evison
96. Michael & Caroline Howley
97. Myra Williamson
98. Megan Ingram
99. Emma Mooney
100. Karen Woolven

That's it! That's a wrap on the 100 Faces of Floristry. Thank you for joining us every day this week.

Congratulations to all our 100 Faces of Floristry, everyone who was nominated and all our Flower Magicians! More thank yous to come.... stay tuned for all the National Florist Day activity tomorrow!!

07/06/2024

It is the FINAL countdown to the 100 Faces of Floristry for National Florist Day UK 2024 and we'll be bringing you the final 20 names who will be joining the list! Who will they be .. you'll have to tune in at 19.00 to see what the famous Picking Pot reveals and what top the Editor will wear!

06/06/2024

Today the Editor, Caroline Marshall-Foster will be taking tea with the next round of Faces of Floristry awardees. Scones will be in the mix but will it be jam or cream first? Has the now famous picking pot found it's perfect plant and - far more importantly - who will the next 20 Faces of Floristry be. Join us live at 16.30 today here at The Florist to find out.

05/06/2024

We've been asked to do a day time slot so why not grab a sandwich, take a lunchbreak at 1.30 and discover the next 20 names to be announced as part of the National Florist Day 100 Faces of Floristry! Live and exciting ... who will be today's winners.

03/06/2024

Flower Magicians and Chelsea Winners - https://mailchi.mp/purplespotted/awesomemagiciansandchelsewinners ... as we go headlong into June 8th today's the day to start celebrating all the awesomeness of our industry. Read this morning's newsletter to see how you can still get involved.

01/06/2024

Just sayin'

31/05/2024

Oooh err ... things are all rather hotting up on the old NFD front but please can everyone use the hashtags as otherwise we won't be able to keep track and include you in the post day coverage ... we want to recognise the Alumni of '24!!

29/05/2024

How wonderful is this .. New Covent Garden Market are hosting a very special event at the Flower Market on the morning of National Florist Day ... the perfect way to kick start the celebrations of all that is wonderful about the world of flowers, floristry and florists. Featuring the creative skills of five amazing designers it will be live streamed via Insta, but there's tea and coffee waiting for you if you want to come in and see it in real life ... and of course a whole host of fabulous flowers and plants too ... bring your credit card ... it can be tempting!! We've got the bunting, pop ups and badges ready and will be there from the start ... would be fabulous to meet our readers too!

Simon Lycett Ltd London Event Florist Paul Thomas Flowers Ltd Pesh Flowers and Pesh Flower School Hybrid Flower Co Green and Bloom

25/05/2024

Chelsea and Belgravia in Bloom is coming to an end but the The Manchester Flower Festival is just beginning with some equally fabulous installations courtesy of some equally fabulous florists. It runs till the 27th so if you are near or can get to Manchester do it ... a treat for the eyes!

24/05/2024

They've caved in ... the National Florist Day team have been inundated with requests to sign up from florists who missed the deadline. They can't let anyone down so they've set up a special, limited time, better than any sofa discount, Registration Form! HOWEVER as they say, we are a tiny team .. just 2 and three quarter people (Caroline is very short!) trying to do everything so PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE fill the form in correctly as this time round there simply won't be time to correct, check and contact you if it's wrong. This is the link - it will switch off at 11.59 on Monday night and this really is your last chance to be part of the first ever national awareness day for the flower industry.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/bankholidayregistration a

🚨 We've caved and REOPENED FLORIST REGISTRATION! 🚨

This is not a drill... if you want to take part register now... forget any bank holiday sofa sales and register BEFORE 23:59 on Bank Holiday Monday!

⚠️ BEWARE, BEWARE, BEWARE... ⚠️ if you don't fill in your details correctly... a typo here, incorrect email address there or entering a sentence where it asks for URL or to be left blank... YOUR REGISTRATION WILL NOT COUNT! Our team isn't big enough to accommodate errors and issues in this final run up to the big day!

💐💐💐 So if you want to be an original 💐Flower Magician💐 in National Florist Day 2024 then fill in this registration form QUICKLY AND CAREFULLY!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/bankholidayregistration

24/05/2024

It's taken longer than planned simply because the list of nominees was longer than expected! But the Selection Panel have now announced the final nominees being considered for the first National Florist Day Faces of Floristry. There's over 200 on the list ... now they have to whittle it down further to reach the final 100 .. we don't envy them their job. See how many you know ... read the whole list on our website ... click the link to read! https://www.theflorist.co.uk/news-1/faces-of-floristry-the-shortlist-in-full

Picture courtesy of Marginpar.
Our Iconic Flowers list goes live on 1st June ... the clematis is right up there! Marginpar are one of the very best growers of this amazing bloom ... check out their website to find out more!

21/05/2024

Lara takes top title at Chelsea! Yesterday we watched her fill EVERY single tube and water source to make sure the flowers were kept in pristine condition. That dedication and detail - coupled with some awesome design skills - has won Lara Thorpe from Wild at Heart not just a Gold Medal but the ultimate accolade of being awarded the RHS - Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Florist of the Year title. Her piece, entitled Spectrum of Fire was immaculate .. we'll bring you close ups soon.
Wild at Heart Flowers
Lara Thorpe

21/05/2024

We know the medals ... now we are waiting for the best in show and my chance to get all the Chelsea florists together for a final group shot!

20/05/2024

Which of these florists will be the 2024 RHS - Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Florist of the Year... we'll know tomorrow but here's a chance to see which one you would pick as our Editor Caroline Marshall-Foster takes a tour of all the competing entries. Forgive dodgy captions ... we shall correct ASAP!

20/05/2024

The Ed is on site ... has been since sunrise ... she couldn't resist the shot!

20/05/2024

The oh so fast run through of the Floristry section at Chelsea 2024 .. some rather yummy creations ... judging starts at 7 ... Good luck to everyone.

20/05/2024

Sneek peeks of the floristry at Chelsea Flower Show .. no names as judging still to happen, but as always, some awesome work.

19/05/2024

This year the iconic RHS letters for the RHS - Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show are being decored by the team of florists at Pinstripes and Peonies. And as you'd expect from a company called that, the letters are covered in a spectacular mass of heavenly, blousy, UK grown peonies intertwined with extra materials to provide complementary bursts of colour. Sourced and constructed using eco-friendly principles, after the Show, the plant element will be relocated to in Herbert Morrison Primary School in London, and the flowers composted on the school grounds.

19/05/2024

Jen, Lizzie and Catey from at Moreton Morrell College have been busy brushing moss for their display in the Great Pavilion. Obviously there is far more to it than moss (you'll see it tomorrow) and the college receives a grant from the RHS to create an installation that is HUGE. And although it is not judged, the students take great pride in making the display look its best. Hence carefully brushing moss, which may look laborious, but they are having a great time. “This stage of the show build is magical,” says Jen, “As a student, being here in the heart of RHS Chelsea Flower Show is amazing.”

19/05/2024

We don't go into the hallowed grounds until dawn tomorrow but by now the florists competing at the RHS - Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show have turned the plans they submitted many months ago into reality. Now they have to wait and see if they have taken the grand prize. Because the floral designs found in the Great Pavilion represent the pinnacle of floristry skills and horticultural excellence, capturing the beauty of nature and showcasing the power of flowers and plants

This year there are two categories of floral exhibits in the Grand Pavilion. Creative Spaces and Floral Creations. Floral Creations is a brand-new category, where smaller arrangements are mounted on plinths with the theme for 2024 of ‘Colour’. These displays are judged for RHS medals and are the ones that could win the RHS Chelsea Florist of the Year.

The Florists taking part in each category ... good luck to them all!

FLORAL CREATIONS
Julie Pearson Design
Rebekah Critchlow
Angela Turner
Sarah Horne & Team
Allison Hood
Bonnie Chu
Nicola Hill
Laura Mallows
Lara Thorpe
Laura Pannitt

CREATIVE SPACES – not judged.
Carly Rogers
Kitten Grayson
Days of Dahlia
Acacia Creative Studio

18/05/2024

OK we couldn’t stop the Editor shedding a few tears (Caroline Marshall-Foster is such a softie underneath!) but we were chuffed to be hosts at the official launch of National Florist Day. Not just because we could switch on the www.nationalfloristday.co.uk website... not just because we all got to make flower crowns thanks to awesome flowers and sundries from Marginpar and OASIS® Floral Products (UK) but thanks to the amazing support and generosity of Philip Nicklin-Hammond and The Dorchester we could invite some extra special guests as well.

Not only some of the awesome Flower Magicians who are totally embracing the project, and some amazing tutors too but the Young Guns who had responded to our shout out to be interviewed. A group of young men and women who are the future of our industry and who were able to meet and start their own networking process with the fabbo team of Ambassadors, Patrons and Good Florist Guide Council.

There’s still a way to go but it really was an awesome start to the final three-week countdown. Full story and the people who were there on our website. https://theflorist.co.uk/news-1/national-florist-day-launches-in-style

Thanks as always to all our amazing Patrons: Direct2florist, Optimus Flowers Ltd, Funny how flowers do that Tom Brown Wholesale Ltd, Interflora UK, Floristry Trade Club, Marginpar, Florismartdirect, FleuraMetz, FleuraMetz London Cash & Carry, New Covent Garden Market, Chrysal Flower Food

06/05/2024

The second of our Scottish stories with the news that Fleurs de Villes will be returning to Edinburgh with another of their stunning installations ... this time paying full tribute to the talent of Scotland's remarkable art and the nation’s much-loved artists. Read all about it here ... https://theflorist.co.uk/news-1/global-sensation-fleurs-de-villes-returns-to-edinburgh .. and follow their page for the latest updates.

06/05/2024

It's all kicking off in Scotland with the announcement of not one but two events in the next few weeks, First up BFA (British Florist Association) are launching their Hubs in Glasgow on the 19th May ... not just a chance to meet with fellow florists but if you're feeling competitive your opportunity to take part on one of two competitions and a chance to represent the UK in the Florint World Cup next year. Go to their page or read the full story here https://theflorist.co.uk/news-1/bfa-hubs-kick-off-in-glasgow

06/05/2024

We admit it - we are suckers for a Scabiosa and these ones look absolutely yummy! Take a peek at what's new from Marginpar and start drooling!! These are going to make a lot of people very happy we reckon!
https://theflorist.co.uk/news-1/brand-new-virtuoso-r-scabiosa-from-marginpar