I’m delighted today to share with you an interview with florist Sarah Richardson from Leafy Couture, where she shares details of the floristry courses which she runs online and in person.
Could you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
I was looking for a creative outlet after studying Sociology at Newcastle University. I grew up in a very creative household with parents who were art teachers and entrepreneurs.
I tried to rebel but always enjoyed creating things and flowers, generally make people happy. So it seemed a good way to go. One day, someone bought me a huge bunch of flowers after I’d started a temp job in a bank. I was more excited about the flowers. So I started researching courses that evening and I’ve never regretted it.
Every day is something new. Every wedding and client brings something different. We now have a core team of florists for our Yorkshire based weddings and events. Plus have a growing flower school for flower lovers and florists wanting new ideas and confidence. I study every year with different florists from all over the world to keep my style fresh, and offer my clients and students the best I can. I’m also proud to be a Chapel Designer.
I understand that you have an Online Flower School, which is an online video subscription service. Could you tell us more about it?
We wanted to appeal to floristry students who might want a more modern approach to design than is often offered at traditional colleges. We want to help florists who wanted a style update but without paying a huge amount to learn. We want to inspire and raise the bar for florists who might be struggling but without the prohibitive price tag.
Each lesson is either a video tutorial or a download on subjects such as seasonal flowers, Instagram guide or working contract flowers. We upload two classes a month.
What type of floristry tutorials are available in your Online Flower School?
Our Online Flower School tutorials include bridal bouquets, large installations, foam free designs, guides to seasonal flowers, glued designs, wired designs and social media hints.
What type of florists and flower lovers is your Online Flower School suitable for?
We have a variety of tutorials that would suit everyone, from conditioning guides to how to make large floating flower bombs and intricate wire work. It is suitable for all levels and full of inspiration.
What does a membership subscription
We charge £18 a month for full access to our tutorials or £200 for yearly membership. There is no minimum sign up fee.
What type of in-person floristry classes do you run?
We offer all sorts of classes and courses, from two hour pleasure classes to five day intensive classes. We offer a five day introduction to floristry covering gift bouquets, bridal bouquets, flower crowns, funeral work and wedding styling. We also take students on a trip to the flower market and talk about how to set up a floristry business. These students then become part of our flower school family and part of our private Facebook group.
We offer a four day course called The Wedding Edit where the focus is on luxury weddings and styling. We make different styles of bouquets and large installations with the course culminating in a styled shoot workshop. The students then receive the images for use in their portfolios. We offer all the courses as a one day option too so people can focus on the area they want to grow in.
This year we have collaborated with flower grower Susie from Picked at Dawn to offer a Cutting Garden Class and also offer Floral Painting Class with textile designer Davinder Madaher. We’re teaching a Floral Cake Workshop with Poppy Pickering who is an acclaimed cake maker. We have two hour classes called Leafy Sessions where we make something different each time and they are aimed at just having a go and creating something beautiful and seasonal. These classes are open to all and are a real pleasure to teach as people forget the world and immerse themselves in flowers.
Floristry Courses by Leafy Couture
Many of the photos featured in the posts are from last year’s Floral Retreat. This July, the retreat returns! And Sarah together with Lizzie Simpson (In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida Owner) will be holding the Floral Retreat again at the beautiful Priory Cottages, in the heart of the Yorkshire countryside.
For more information about Floristry Courses by Leafy Couture including the Floral Retreat, please visit Sarah’s website : Online Flower School and Classes & Courses.
(Images : Freya Raby Photography & Arabella Smith)
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