Posts Tagged ‘The Flower and Plant Association’

Happy New Year from The Vintage Flower House!

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

RosesI always find New Year to be quite an exciting time. Everyone seems to be wanting to start something new. Whether that is changing their job, changing their house, getting active, or pursuing a hobby.

I always think it is really fantastic when people want a career change. They are tired of doing the same old job and want something new and fresh. I get told a lot that it must be so lovely to be a florist and recently I have been asked what is the best way to get into the industry.

Well first things first I love being a florist. It does have its draw backs, it is very cold, there are many early starts and your hands start to look very old before their time, but if you are creative and love working with natural beautiful objects then working in the floristry industry may be the right job for you.

The best way in my opinion is to try out a day course to see if floristry is something you may enjoy. London based courses are always fantastic and will really give you that sense of what the industry is all about. Highly recommended course are the following;

www.jane-packer.co.uk

www.jamieaston.com/school.html

www.paula-pryke-flowers.com/school.html

All of the above schools run career courses too if you want to take it that step further.

Studying at college is another great way to get into the industry. The Flower and Plant Association website provides a list of courses throughout the UK as well as providing viewers with exciting information on flowers and the latest trends;

www.flowers.org.uk/index.html

If you can, combining a course with working in a shop will really give you that all round experience of what it would be like to work in the floristry industry.

If working with flowers is something that you have been thinking about for a while give it go! The florist industry is constantly evolving. It is now more than ever a fashionable and trendy industry, which is bursting with creativity.

Whatever your New Year plans are The Vintage Flower House team wishes you all the best with them for 2010!

Vintage Mania

Thursday, March 26th, 2009
A Vintage table runner of Old Dutch, Metallina Roses, Hydrangea and Peonies

A Vintage table runner of Old Dutch, Metallina Roses, Hydrangea and Peonies

The vintage trend in the floral industry first came to light in December of 2006-I can’t believe it is that long ago! The Flower and Plant Association created a trend of vintage glamour and it was truly beautiful. It was elegant, feminine with a sense of luxury and texture.

I have to confess from seeing that trend it did influence us with our name. I completely fell in love with the vintage look not just in the floral industry but in fashion. Lace, layers, and pearls I can’t get enough of it even today! But the interesting thing about the trend is that it doesn’t seem to be disappearing. Trends come and go, but the vintage theme seems to be sticking around.

So many of our brides are still in love with vintage colours, themes and textures. It’s interesting as even in fashion it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. Fashion labels are still producing one off vintage pieces throughout the industry and we seem very ready to snap them up.

But when it comes to flowers the vintage theme is endless. Not only is there an array of spectacular roses in different shades of vintage pinks, such as Old Dutch, Amnesia and Metallina to name but a few, but the combination of creams, golds and browns, with lacy lisianthus and layerie ranunculus allows the vintage theme to keep booming.

I hope it continues to grow and develop. It’s always exciting to see new trends come in, but I have to admit I have a soft spot for anything vintage and it seems that the rest of Britain does too.

To check out the Vintage Glamour trend from 2006 go to the Flower and Plant association website or click on the link below;

http://www.flowers.org.uk/flowers/trends/winter/winter-2006.htm

Trends, Trends, Trends

Thursday, March 12th, 2009
Enchanted Forest, part of the Look and Wonder trend, set by Flower and Plant Association

Enchanted Forest, part of the Look and Wonder trend, set by Flower and Plant Association

Trends are everywhere. They exist in our clothes, interior design and the floral industry is no different. Every season The Flower and Plant Association set out the latest trends and this season it’s all about nature.

The association has set out a trend called, ‘Look & Wonder’ and it certainly does make you do that. The trend is defined as, ‘all about stopping, breathing in, and enjoying life again.’ I can’t help but think the term ‘enjoying life again’ is some sort of reference to the economic climate we are all finding ourselves in or maybe it’s just a reference to the pace of life being so fast these days. We’ve forgotten to look at what is around us all the time; nature.

The trend is all about focusing on natural objects such as driftwood, coral shells and incorporating animal type accessories into floral arrangements.

The Vintage team is a little split in terms of this particular trend. Some of our members are not so sure about the sculpture element to the designs; others love the combination of textures and bringing natural objects into floral arrangements. I for one think it is fantastic. I do love my twigs and other natural materials, so I guess I was always going to be drawn to this particular trend. But I love the idea of combining flowers with objects to create not just natural looking designs but arrangements that have a hint of magic and escapism.

For more information and to see what you think check out the Look and Wonder Trend on the Flower and Plant Association Website.