I can’t bear snobbery, of any form, or kind.  I didn’t think it would be a big issue in Floral Design, but here’s the thing; sneery ‘haughtiness’ for what dictates ‘good taste’ or ‘bad taste’ is actually quite prevalent.

Are we all guilty of Floral Snobbery?

Flower snobbery is deep rooted in our history. To ‘arrange one’s flowers’ was a thing only for high society and to display the best blooms was a way to show off one’s riches! It was the affluent ‘society bunch’ (excuse the puns, I just can’t help myself!), who could brazenly show their riches according to the bountiful ‘exotic’ and never before seen, plant varieties. Victorian and Regency times in England saw an increase in showing this bounty in full display in front gardens - so that plant collection could be marvelled at, street-side, rather than hidden behind house facades. (A topic I touched on as a garden design graduate at our RHS Chelsea flower show Regency front garden way back in 2004! - but I digress!!)

There has always been an element of what is deemed “good taste” in plants, flowers, gardens, and design choices….matching “good upbringing” and being explicably linked to wealth.

Should ‘great design’ only be available for the top 10%?

In my previous career as a garden designer, I became disillusioned when the designs of my dreams were only achievable for budgets of 10’s of thousands or 100’s of thousands… and the ‘society bunch’ seemed to dominate the space. (and when the queue for the exclusive members only champagne bar at Chelsea was 4 times as long as the queue to see that year’s ‘best in show’ garden, it may have tipped me over the edge)

The best designs were only achievable for the affluent few, and the rest of us would therefore be exposed to poor design choices, unable to keep up with the current trends, or get anywhere near the aesthetic in the glossy magazines. (the gap between what was available in my local garden centre, and what I was seeing at RHS Chelsea….well, let’s not even go there!)

Floral design, I thought - would be more accessible, more creative, more subjective and more deep-rooted in quality ingredients, service and personal skill level of the florist.

But as my journey into floral design evolved, delving deeper into styles, trends, moods, fashions, it surprised me and (I admit) amused me slightly, that floral snobbery is rife!

The right or ‘wrong’ aesthetic, the right and ‘wrong’ stem placement that creates the ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ shape, the ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ colour choices and flower varieties, the ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ brand of vessel even! The tide of change will shift constantly and in any given moment, you may find your own natural ‘style’ as a florist ‘In’ or ‘Out’ of fashion, and seen as the height of ‘good taste’ or ‘bad taste’!

Flower Trends - when flower varieties are doomed to the ‘hit list’ or ‘miss list’

Foliage may be outcast as ‘so last year’ (the concept of which makes me laugh out loud)

Bowls are now shallow, not deep - arrangements may be wide or floaty, airy not full or ethereal not foliage-heavy. The latest must have ceramic bowl or urn from the glossy pages is suddenly 100’s of pounds investment, and god forbid if you need 20 of them for your venue!

Did we think Gyp would make a comeback?

Certain flowers are doomed to the hit list or miss list. Dahlias are in, then dahlias are out. Chrysanthemums are in, then out. Structural irises are big on the agenda one moment, then replaced with meadowy wild-looking astrantia and cornflower the next. Oh and my favourite example; Gypsophila. The one that has been on the ‘miss’ list for so many years that you’d have thought no self-respecting ‘trendy’ florist would ever dare use it again. Then, hey presto, it resurges as the biggest ‘hit’ for 2023/2024 (oh, but only if we call it a cloud) .. you get the drift…

And all the time, this exists with an undercurrent of ‘if you don’t know, you don’t know’. The floral snobbery. The feeling that you have to be in the right circles, and dressing the right venues, with the right aesthetic, the right backdrop and suddenly 2 simple blossom twigs are actually an ‘installation’. I don’t know about you, but this can all start to feel a little bit ‘emperors new clothes’ to me. As my teenage daughter would say; it “makes me giggle”.

There’s no ‘wrong’ or ‘right’ way to style with flowers

Oh don’t get me wrong! I love trends; I love fashion, I love the ebb and flow of creative ideas and different styles (and yes, I do love the current trend for less, or no foliage…but I do know it’s just a trend, not a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to arrange flowers). There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to style with flowers. There is no correct colour combo, or design choice. If you create something beautiful, that you love…and have a creative eye for colour, shape and form…you can create something that clients will also love…and therefore you can be a successful florist! The most important thing? To believe in your own style, your own design eye, your own preferences.

Re-mortgaging for professional course training? No thanks!

You shouldn’t need to remortgage your house to learn some simple techniques either! You shouldn’t feel that you need to have a certain upbringing or background to be taken seriously. You don’t need acres of land or a beautiful stone barn, to be a successful floral designer. Arranging flowers (that is, after-all, what we do!) is not for the feint-hearted and is certainly not an easy job. You need skill and patience, and you need to learn some basic techniques and gain experience…but it certainly should be available and open to everyone - it should be accessible to all, and a creative outlet for people with all styles, fashions, tastes and budgets.

I’m still learning and exploring every day. In fact, I have learnt more through my own dogged determination, willpower, relentless questioning and experimentation with materials and mechanics, on my own, with no injection of cash. It’s more about having a willingness to open my eyes, and my mind; listening and observing, drinking it all in and finding my own way.

Design influence comes from everywhere - the world of fashion, textiles, ceramics, travel.

And luckily for me, ideas come thick and fast, are ever evolving, and more to the point; are FREE.

The best part of this flowery journey so far? Experimenting. Choosing colours or styles out of my comfort zone. Finding new materials that I haven’t designed with before, and meeting the fabulous down to earth, hardworking flower farmers that know who the real stars are…

the FLOWERS!! (now excuse me whilst I go off to make a Gyp Cloud!!;)

If you want to check out the eco-friendly wedding florals I make, have a look here. Feel free to contact me here with any questions about your wedding flowers and plans, or for some straight-talking no-nonsense advice or practical help – I’d love to help

Photography by Becky Kerr Photography