By Sally Sola, Founder, Cheltenham Flower School
There’s something intrinsically human about people gathering together, each with a handful of beautiful flowers, and collectively creating something magical with their own hands. It’s something which we have been doing since the dawn of time, and it is something which resonates with our inherited memories and that is why my floral workshops are a real highlight of what I do.
But behind the effortless calm and creativity on the day, there’s a lot of prep that goes into making it all feel that way! So, if you’ve ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes, here’s a little peek at how I put a floral workshop together, from the first email to the final petal sweep.
Step 1: The Planning Chat
Every workshop starts with a conversation. Whether it’s with a venue or a private customer, we lock in the date, time, and what sort of design we’ll be creating. Where appropriate we will also chat about flower colours, seasonal availability, and the overall feeling we will be creating during the workshop. This is where we agree whether it’ll be a relaxed, wild arrangement or something more structured and elegant; whether it will be a bridal bouquet or a focal table centre.
Step 2: Brainstorming the Design
Next comes one of my favourite parts; creating the idea in the design. I think about the skill level of the group, what’s seasonal, and what flowers will bring the most joy on the day. It’s a little creative puzzle and is where those ideas that most of the time live rent free in my head finally get their time to come out and shine.
However, it is not as simple as choosing my favourite idea. I have to be sure that the chosen design and flowers are appropriate for the time of year. This is especially key when I am selling a ticketed workshop.
Step 3: Sourcing & Stock Lists
Once I’ve settled on the design, it’s time to get organised. I’ll write out a buying list, order flowers and any containers or special materials we’ll need. At the same time, I will arrange collection or delivery times with suppliers. Timing is key to make sure everything is beautifully fresh for the workshop. Buying flowers for a workshop requires them to look beautiful, be fully conditioned and have plenty of life left in them. They need to have their heads showing but not fully developed as you will all want to take your designs home with you and enjoy them for a good few days after the workshop.
Again, this is one thing that makes workshops different from, say, buying flowers for a wedding. The timing for taking flowers into my care for a wedding would be very different as they will all need to be at their peak, fully open and their most beautiful selves. No one wants a bridal bouquet filled with small buds, no colour and no impact.
Step 4: Buckets & Workstation Kits
Before the flowers arrive, I get all the buckets cleaned, filled and ready for conditioning the fresh stock. This is completed alongside making sure all scissors, string and anything else that may be required, is gathered to create each individual workshop equipment pot. Prep is everything. Without this step the workshop will not run smoothly at all and could unravel if there is a piece of equipment missing for the attendees to make their design. At this stage I would also prepare any containers, vases or even wreath bases.
Step 5: Conditioning & Allocating
Once the flowers are collected, it’s straight into conditioning, stripping leaves, snipping stems, removing thorns and tidying up the flower heads. I allocate stems per participant, making sure that everyone has enough flowers whilst also making sure I have some spare stems just in case there are any breakages or damaged flowers. From here I would create an example of the design that will be created in the workshop, so everyone knows what they are aiming to create. This also allows me to make sure the design works with the flowers I have ordered, giving me time to make any tweaks that might be necessary. Lastly, but most importantly, this is where I make sure that the flowers are given the chance to sit in water and take a good, long drink before the event.
Step 6: Packing & Setting Up
On the day of the workshop, I pack my estate car with flowers, tools, buckets, cloths, and anything else that is needed. Sometimes it feels as though I am taking everything including the kitchen sink. When I arrive at the venue, I make sure all surfaces are protected, the room feels welcoming and inspiring, and each station is beautifully set up and ready to go.
Step 7: The Workshop - The Best Bit!
This is the heart of it all, welcoming each participant to the workshop, teaching the design, guiding each person, watching their ideas come to life. There’s nothing better than that moment when someone steps back, looks at their creation and says, “I did that!”. That “A Ha” moment is priceless, and nothing gives me more joy than seeing that happen. This is especially worthwhile when some one has been finding something about the design challenging. This for me really is sharing the floral love. Passing on my skills and knowledge to others is what’s at the centre of my business.
Step 8: Packing & Setting Up
Once we’ve wrapped up, I clean down the space and make sure it’s just as lovely as when I arrived. Everything gets packed back into the car (no stray secateurs or foliage left behind!) and I head home.
Step 9: Back at Base
At home, it’s time to unload the car, clean and store tools, stack buckets, and pop any green waste in the bin. I reset my workspace, ready for the next workshop, and maybe reward myself with any stray flowers that didn’t quite make the cut for the workshop.
Step 10: Post-Workshop Follow Up
Finally, I’ll send a follow-up email to thank participants (if it’s appropriate for the event) and create some social media content to share the floral joy. It’s lovely to look back at the day and celebrate everyone’s creations.
Step Back
And that’s a wrap! It might sound like a lot (and it is!), but every part of it brings me joy, especially seeing people surprise themselves with what they can create.
Stepping back for a moment, it is this prep, and the time and care I put into it, which mean I can promise everyone who comes to one of my workshops that you’ll leave with more than flowers. I am proud to put in the hard work behind the scenes because that means I have the capacity and ability to provide the personal care and attention to each person there. It really is the stuff that goes on before and after a workshop which enables me to create a relaxing space for calm creativity, sharing the joy of flowers and learning something new. And that is what Cheltenham Flower School is all about; sharing the joy of creativity.
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