The Great British Flower School
Launches its Eco Floristry Course For All.
Are you ready to learn eco-friendly, sustainable floristry, without the premium price-tag?
Are you looking for no-nonsense, straight-talking, jargon-free teaching methods based on real-life scenarios?
Are you ready to embrace the change to eco-floristry and future-proof your floristry skills?
Have you been frustrated by old-fashioned design principles and methods taught at mainstream colleges?
Do you want to brush up your floristry skills and find some renewed enthusiasm?
Welcome, to the Great British Flower School!
We’re here to guide you and help you every step of the way….
Our aim is for you to learn how to turn your blooms into beautiful arrangements using your own flair and creativity, but with NO FLORAL FOAM.
Roz and Ali are proud to run their flower farming and floristry businesses on sustainable principles.
Along the way they have encountered outmoded and outdated design methodology and had to invent their own ways of creating eco-friendly, (single-use) plastic-free floral arrangements.
They know how hard it can be to source the right materials, stay within budget and stick to sustainable principles, but they have done it and are now here to show you how to do it too.
We call it “Free-range Floristry”!
THE SITUATION:
For too long, foam-free floristry techniques have been kept as a well-guarded secret, only available to a select few, or for those able to afford to attend premium-style retreats offering fancy photo-shoots. Sadly, most mainstream colleges (the affordable training option) haven’t yet caught up with teaching foam-free methods, and their design principles are old-fashioned and often outmoded.
THE SOLUTION – OUR ‘FUNDAMENTALS OF ECO FLORISTRY’ COURSE.
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The Great British Flower School is here to offer an alternative. No-nonsense. Straight-talking practical teaching, that de-mystifies the theory and cuts through jargon.
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We focus on the down-to-earth practical stuff: How do you do it? What are the timings? Show me the exact step-by-step process. Where can you source alternative materials? What do you really need and what should you not waste your money on?
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We’ll provide you with easy to follow, accessible instructions, clear, friendly and fun video demos and PDF downloads to reinforce learning and provide you with step-by-step references.
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We’re here to help you find and develop your own unique style. We like to encourage a creative mind-set, to set you free from outmoded design constraints and boring principles.
The Great British Flower School is here to de-mystify eco-floristry, to expand your creative repertoire and share with you our personal floral experience.
Our school is based on the core values of;
- No judgement. No criticism
- Openness and honesty, always
- Practical, hands-on advice and jargon-free teaching.
- Keeping our fees realistic, so that you can recoup the rewards of your training investment in a short space of time
Why Eco Floristry?
Roz and Ali are passionate believers that we should do our best to limit the damage we do to our environment. The latest science confirms that ALL floral foam (yes, including the ‘bio’ version which is the same product with a simple additive) is VERY BAD for the environment.
Why is floral foam so bad?
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Floral foam (under whichever brand name) is a single-use plastic, made from non-renewable petrochemicals, and each single foam block is equivalent in weight to 10 plastic bags.
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After soaking floral foam, the tiny green plastic particles wash down our drains and ends up in our watercourses, where it is ingested by marine life. You can read more about the scientific research here https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/12/191210111651.htm
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It is pretty nasty stuff that has slipped past regulators for a long time!
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The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has banned its use at all shows, and it looks likely that it will join the UK Government’s list of banned single-use plastic products in the near future.
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A social media trend of crushing floral foam, often directly into the sink, is also adding to pollution issues. One video promoting the fad amassing 70 million views!
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The ultimate destination for floral foam, however many times you reuse it, is landfill. It is estimated that every year, over 14,670 cubic metres of floral foam are sent to landfill just from crematoriums across the UK! That’s the equivalent of 6 Olympic swimming pools.
What’s the alternative?
Plenty! We have alternative, eco-friendly ideas and solutions for EVERY situation – for weddings, for funerals, for bouquet transportation, for outdoor installation, for table decoration… everything! And it’s not just about floral foam either, we also need to address the miles of plastic ribbon, tape, cellophane, card holders and other single use plastics in floristry; Roz and Ali have learnt the hard way; trialling and testing all the alternative solutions and finding better options for their businesses over the years. Their goal now is to share that knowledge, so that sustainable floristry is an option whatever the size of your business or indeed you are arranging for pleasure.
Is sustainable floristry a realistic goal for you and your business?
We understand that ALL of us florists, from farmer-growers, to retail florists, to wedding and event florists, freelance florists, those just starting out in a career, those changing career, hobby florists, or those that have been doing floristry for a very long time, need to adapt, learn and change and we all need to upskill to keep ahead of the game. We also understand how overwhelming it can be in a busy market, to stand out from the crowd and develop your own style.
The thing is, Roz is honest, has been there, done it and has the t-shirt. My advice is don't sign up just to learn. Sign up, show up and implement it straight away.
I was hesitant about investing the course at first, but to be honest I needn't have been. I'd earned the cost back within 10 days
Past Student
WHO ARE WE?
Roz and Ali are straight-talking, down to earth people. When they met, their friendship was instant - with so many connections, past experiences and a very similar outlook on life. Ali is very much a creative ‘ideas’ person (mostly with her head in the clouds, if not in the flowers!), whilst Roz is the experienced grower and business woman who gets stuff done.
“The balance between grower flower-farmer, and florist is fundamental to success in this industry and as a partnership, we reckon we are a pretty dynamic duo! We laugh a lot, talk a lot, cut to the chase, work exceptionally hard to achieve our goals and like a no-nonsense approach. (It helps that we are both outdoor-obsessed people, with not only a shared passion for flowers, but a love of animals, our family and friends, and a love of Greece.)” Roz
So how does that benefit me?
Ali has been through the traditional teaching system, after re-training mid-career, from garden design into floral design. She quickly became frustrated by traditional floristry courses, methods AND teaching styles. At the same time, Roz was looking for a creative florist with a friendly teaching style, with industry experience, who could explain and demonstrate clearly.
The result? The first teaching modules of The Great British Flower School.
• This is for you, if you like your learning delivered in a friendly down-to earth style, and….
• You are new or just starting out in floristry
• You are ready for a career change, and thinking about floristry
• You are a flower farmer, keen to learn professional floristry skills and techniques
• You are a keen hobbyist who wants to learn professional flower arranging methods
• Or… you are a traditional, foam-trained florist who is nervous about making the change to eco-techniques
• Or… you studied at mainstream college but, like Ali, have been frustrated by old fashioned teaching designs
• Or… you may just want to refresh, update and re-vitalise your existing floristry skills.
Still not sure? Let’s ask if any of these relate to you?
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Are you nervous about ditching the foam for good?
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Have you tried some eco-methods before, but had a bad experience?
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Are you worried about being judged or criticised? Do you prefer to learn as an individual, and to be able to ask questions without fear of embarrassment, or judgement?
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Are you just starting out in floristry and keen to start off on the right foot?
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Do you want your floristry business to be more environmentally friendly but are just not sure where to start?
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Have you looked for a course or training program and not found quite the right ‘fit’?
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Are you worried that you are not ‘creative’ enough ‘talented enough’ or ‘skilled enough’?
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Do you prefer to learn at your own pace, in your own time, but with professional support and advice when you need it? Maybe you like to take your time…or speed through content.
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Are you looking for a friendly, no nonsense, no jargon, ‘accessible to all’, down to earth teaching style?
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Do you just want to try at a low-commitment level, and decide whether this is for you?
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Are you unsure about joining a group learning course, and meeting others, or worried about ‘competing’ with others on the same course?
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Have you been put off by high fees for residential or ‘fast track’ courses?
At the Great British Flower School (GBFS) we believe that eco methods, environmentally friendly techniques and creative tips tricks and advice, should be available and accessible to all.
We are here to share our knowledge and experience, (and even our mishaps and blunders!).
Let's be honest, the options available to you thus far, have been pretty limited.
(We get it, we've been there!)
We're delighted that you have found us, and we can fix your problem.
Let's work on it together...
Want to know more?
What's involved and what’s the investment?
The Fundamentals of Eco Floristry - online course £279
A complete, condensed guide to eco-floristry; a snapshot of the fundamental principles, techniques and tools and materials you need. Everything you need to boost your confidence, and expand your foam-free floral repertoire!
So What do we Cover?
We will take you through 5 lessons in a clear, no jargon, easy to follow way, including:
Lesson 1 : Building Foundations
To get you started, we’ll take you through all the materials you need, including details on how to prep them and their pro’s and con’s; how to choose which method to use based on season, flowers and usage. Cutting & Conditioning flowers. Choosing seasonal flowers. working with British flowers and building flower farm relationships. This is so essential for success – we have learnt the hard way, believe us! If you don’t get the foundations right, your flower life will be compromised.
Lesson 2 : Lets Master the hand tied spiral!
A must-have design technique for all florists which can be used for gift bouquets and market bouquets, as well as bridal bouquets and even for large vase arrangements. Once you have mastered the spiral, the floristry world is your oyster! Whether you want to create simple market bouquets for your cut flowers, gift bouquets for your floristry business, or whimsical and elaborate wedding bouquets for your wedding clients. Learning these fundamental skills will help you gain confidence, find your style, and develop your business. So many people get hung up on the bouquet making techniques, and so many courses get very technical, very complicated and over-egg the pudding in our opinion!
Lesson 3 : The elegant foam-free compote bowl table-scaping
Simple centrepiece design that looks so elegant and refined. We will show you 2 different ways to flower up a simple bowl centrepiece, and how to elevate your design by table-scaping with other vessels. Great for all event work, including wedding work but also for home use. These styling skills will help you in so many ways and can be adapted and built upon so that you become more confident in combining your design elements, and even consider offering a complete wedding package based on your new-found skills.
Lesson 4 : The versatile foam-free Meadow Box
Useful for so many occasions, the meadow box design is a popular choice for weddings, and useful to understand for installation work, e.g. mantelpieces and staircase designs. They can also be used as table display centrepieces and aisle decor. No wonder the meadow box design mechanic is one of the most versatile in the foam-free floristry world. This simple technique will give you the confidence to scale up and the tools to be able to price a larger installation piece. Understanding that all the larger design works are really just made up of small, modular elements.
Lesson 5 : Funeral Casket Topper Masterclass
Sympathy flowers are a staple income for most florists, and a very useful floristry design capability to have in your armoury. Learn how to make a foam-free casket top design, which is the most requested design piece for funerals. A valuable lesson to learn for all funeral work, including biodegradable woodland burial sites, cremations, and traditional burials. You will gain confidence with creating different bases, experimenting with shape and form and finding the way that suits you best, for the type of work you want to create and the product/service offer you want to put together.
How will the course be delivered?
You will receive access to 5 in-depth step-by-step video demonstrations by Ali from our studio here at Field Gate Flowers.
That’s 5 amazing in-depth lessons. Ali has an open, friendly, chatty teaching style and doesn’t like using jargon. She will take you through what she is doing, in a naturally and relaxed way, as if you were there in the studio with her (mistakes and all!)
You can watch the videos whenever you like, and will have UNLIMITED access to the videos, so you can take it all in, at your own pace, when it is convenient.
Each video demonstration will have in depth accompanying course notes in PDF form – for you to access whenever and however you want. These will have extra tips and tricks and alternatives for you to try on your own.
PLUS Extra bonus materials:
1. Cutting and conditioning guide – to ensure longevity of your flower material, crucial for success!
2. Shaping UP guide – a guide to take the pain out of some basic design theory
What else?
As well as being able to access the content whenever you like, in your own time, you’ll get…
1. Access to a Private Facebook Community
A Facebook group for you to ask questions 24/7 and feel part of a business community that has your back. No question is a silly question, we are all here to learn and expand our knowledge through shared experience. It’s also great to know that others are going on the journey at the SAME TIME as you – as the group will only be for your class cohort!
2. Live Q&A sessions with Roz and Ali
We won’t just leave you to it. After you’ve gone through a few sessions, we know that people will often have questions. We’re here to support you on your foam-free journey, so will open up the floor to questions in our regular live zoom meetings, and will regularly pop into the group to help answer some of your questions.
ALI CONWAY
A little more about Ali...
"I get it! I've been there, and I wish something like this was available to me, when I was thinking about my career change into floristry".
Ali's path into floristry and specialising in eco wedding florals has been a bumpy ride, from her own admission! "I really didn't think I'd end up as a florist, it wasn't on the cards, but i'm so happy I've finally found the career that I love, and I hope to inspire others to do the same too".
Ali graduated with a Masters degree in Psychology from Glasgow University - what started as a fascination for people, their behaviour, and what makes them 'tick' moved towards marketing and advertising and led her to a year-long Internship programme with a marketing agency in SoHo New York aged 21. Agency life continued in London in the '90s - was fast paced and hectic, and whilst it was exciting times at McCann Erickson London, Ali craved green spaces, gardens and wildlife spaces, and was looking for an 'escape route'.
The turning point from this corporate world was when she became a mum, and she took it as her chance to re-train and try something new. Embarking on Garden Design training, whilst raising her new daughter and juggling mum duties, was no mean feat, and life as a garden designer could only really take part-time commitment. Ali continued on this basis (with a few Segway's into further teaching and lecturing opportunitues) with a postal garden design service that sent her designs all over the world, and freelancing for larger garden design companies.
"I realised at one point, that i'd created so many beautiful gardens for other people, and drawn up so many plans, but my own life was stuck indoors, on the drawing board, or in front of the computer screen, and I felt that maybe i'd got it wrong...again!"
Ali has now found herself in EXACTLY the right place! Working with beautiful materials, pulling beautifully natural floral designs together, and bringing the outside in for her clients.
Ali launched Rambling Stems in 2020 and it has gone from strength to strength, winning over her clients who like her friendly approach, her creative ideas and her eco, foam free ethos, using British Flowers as much as possible and reducing her carbon footprint in as many aspects of her business as she can.
The problem? Finding the right information and training and getting to this point!
"I knew, after going through the traditional floristry training myself, that I would be desperate to teach something different. It frustrated me that the teaching style seemed so outmoded, so laborious, so full of jargon and theory, and not very relatable, for me. Not to mention, the complete lack of eco-credentials and any training in foam-free techniques. I've had to learn ALL of that myself, the hard way! I felt like I was in the wrong place, and almost dropped out of the course on several occasions. It makes me so sad to think I might not have found this true passion for floristry, had I not taken things into my own hands and laboured through it! That seems so crazy to me now!"
Roz Chandler
As a child, Roz loved nothing more than messing around outdoors. Several decades later and Roz has created her own farm – at her home in Lathbury, Milton Keynes where she runs the thriving 5 acre flower farm Field Gate Flowers.
A BSc in Environmental Science led onto studying for an MA in Digital Strategies with a research project on the sustainability of flower farming. Combine this with a career of over 30 years in marketing and sales and there is little doubt that Roz is one of the only flower farmers globally with such an extensive combined knowledge of sales / marketing and cut flower farming.
Sustainable Growing
Roz is passionate about growing, harvesting and arranging seasonally-grown British blooms without putting additional strain on the environment. Field Gate Flowers was established in 2012 and to this day is run on the principles of organic and sustainable farming. In partnership with horticultural consultants and her RHS-qualified plant team, Roz employs biological and cultural control methods such as natural predators, and promotes the use of sustainable floral mechanics to hold blooms and foliage in place for any floristry carried out on the farm or using Field Gate plant material.
Business Mentoring
Prior to running a flower farm, Roz set up and developed a digital marketing agency, employing over 30 staff and working with clients such as The Open University, Unilever, and EasyJet. For several years she was a Non-Executive Director of one of the largest agricultural buying groups in the UK, giving her an innate understanding of farming and the challenges faced.
Passionate about sustainable flower growing and floristry
Roz’s dream is to encourage more people to build the businesses they deserve in flower farming. As a flower farmer and florist, Roz has always had sustainability at the heart of what she has done at Field Gate Flowers. She met Ali through a mutual contact and Roz was impressed with her floristry style and skill. Alis values aligned with Roz’s and over numerous cups of tea, The Great British Florist School was launched!
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