March is the month we prepare to celebrate International Women's Day—a day dedicated to honouring the achievements, resilience, and indomitable spirit of women across the globe.
Held every year on 8th March (this year just before Mothering Sunday).
Throughout history, flowers have been used to convey sentiments and emotions when words fall short. Each bloom carries its own symbolism, making them perfect messengers of love, gratitude, and empowerment. This International Women's Day, let's explore how the language of flowers intertwines with the celebration of womanhood.
Roses: Symbolizing love, beauty, and admiration, roses are the quintessential flower for expressing affection towards the women who inspire us. Whether it's a single red rose to signify love or a bouquet of assorted colours to convey appreciation for the many facets of womanhood, roses speak volumes without uttering a word.
Tulips: With their vibrant hues and graceful petals, tulips represent elegance, grace, and charm. Gifting tulips to the women in our lives is a gesture of acknowledging their inner and outer beauty, as well as their strength and resilience.
Daisies: Simple yet captivating, daisies symbolize purity, innocence, and new beginnings. Presenting daisies to women on International Women's Day is a way of celebrating their fresh perspectives, optimism, and the endless possibilities they bring to the world.
Sunflowers: Radiating warmth, joy, and positivity, sunflowers embody the spirit of empowerment and confidence. These bright blooms serve as a reminder to women to stand tall, embrace their uniqueness, and bask in their own sunshine.
Lilies: Representing purity of heart, virtue, and nurturing qualities, lilies honour the nurturing and caring nature of women. Whether it's a bouquet of white lilies symbolizing purity or pink lilies symbolizing admiration and gratitude, these blooms pay homage to the maternal instincts and unconditional love that women provide.
On International Women's Day, let's go beyond traditional gifts and embrace the language of flowers to celebrate and support the women who enrich our lives.
]]>We celebrate Mother's Day based on the Christian Mothering Sunday. This happens on the fourth Sunday during Lent. This means that Mothers' Day changes every year!
The only other country in the world to follow this tradition is Nigeria (hence the almost bit).
Our Mothering Sunday is the day where traditionally you would visit the church where you were baptised, or attended regularly as a child - hence the Mother Church.
Nowadays, most people are not aware of this and Mother's Day has become about celebrating mums, maternal figures and those that nurture and care for us.
Other countries around the world celebrate Mothers' Day on different dates. Here are a few examples:
Australia - 2nd Sunday in May (started in 1924)
USA - 2nd Sunday in May (started in 1911)
Poland - 26th May
Thailand - 12th August
Russia - 8th March (with International Women's Day) and the last Sunday in November)
]]>Just a glimpse at 2023...
]]>We have dates to choose from, our if they are not suitable, please do contact us as we do have more!
Make Christmas extra special this year.
Take a look at our Friends and Family Christmas Wreath Workshops.
]]>Used for many years in Japanese flower arranging (Ikebana) for minimal designs, the flower frog dates back to the 14th century.
It is thought that the name comes from the fact that the "flower frog" sits in water, just the same as a frog might!
A flower frog is heavy to anchor the design in the container. With the right type of frog you can turn any container or dish into a vase.
Flowers & Frogs Workshop
If you you would like to learn more about using frogs for your designs we have a workshop Flowers & Frogs to you book.
]]>Originally cultivated for medicinal purposes in China believed to cure headaches as asthma.
Now of course, we plant Peonies in the garden and love them as a cut flower.
They can be a bit tricky to open - all you need to do is wipe the sap away from the sepals with warm water on a cloth and if you need them in a hurry, gently peel the sepals back.
There are lots of "Pick your Own" Peony farms and well worth a visit!
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Take a look at the new workshops for Christmas this year:
]]>Recently we got involved in Sarah's local church Flower Festival to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Our choice was Norman Hartnell, dress designer to the Queen!
]]>I love rummaging and buying old vases and seeing what I can do with them. They bring the design to life!
If you would like to get more out of your vases and create stunning designs then take a look at our Vase of Flowers workshop!
]]>However, I am converted. No longer conserved to be dusty displays in the fireplace, dried flowers do have a place in the home, weddings and for display work.
There is something quite satisfying in drying your own flowers. Test different varieties - and we did find that the easiest way (certainly when you want to dry in bulk) was to use the traditional method of hanging in bunches in a dark place.
Store your flowers in a box in the dark wrapped in tissue paper until you are ready to use them.
If you are interested in learning more then take a look at our Dried Flower Crown workshop.
]]>The humble poppy or Papaveraceae (Papaver) if we want to be botanically correct, is an annual herbaceous flowering plant that is used as a symbol of remembrance of fallen soldiers during the 1st World War and thereafter. It grew vigorously among the battlefields of Flanders when nothing else would grow.
There are over 70 species of Papaver, the one most common is Papaver rhoeas, affectionally known as the common, corn, Flanders or Shirley Poppy (depending on where you live!).
But there is so much more to the poppy! They have been grown as ornamental plants since 5000BC and were found in Egyptian tombs. They are associated in Greek mythology with Demeter, goddess of fertility and agriculture.
Poppies are attributed with medicinal properties. The latex in the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) is used to produce morphine and codeine. From the mid-19th century Europe began to manufacture morphine.
As a cut flower you need to be careful! The latex in the stem can be an irritant, so always wash your hands after handling. The latex can also effect the life of other flowers. When cutting poppies from the garden, put them in a bucket or vase for 24 hours before mixing them with other flowers.
They can take some time to open, but you can gently peel back the outer petals and the poppy will pop open!
Once open they do not live long as a cut flower. We love them in a simple jug - sometimes that is all you need...
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I met Emma when she came on a course I was running - and since that very first course she has attended plenty more.
Since those early days (back in early 2018) Emma has worked on a variety of floristry projects on a freelance basis. From decorating elaborate homes for Christmas to woodland weddings, Emma has worked hard (lots of early mornings) to make a career from floristry.
Emma joined the school in 2021 to help with everything behind the scenes (and you might be amazed how much prep we have for a course!). Her imaginative and colourful dress sense, raucous laughter and natural chatty nature have been the first thing many of our new students meet - and puts them at ease.
Just Happy Birthday Emma - thank you for keeping me sane (and finding my specs all the time). Have a lovely weekend off!
Sarah x
]]>This means that socially distanced weddings over the summer will be easier to manage. The ceremony can still only be performed at approved premises (ie where they have a licence), but it is a step forward.
It could be that in the next few years we will see couples getting married on the beach or even in their own back garden.
If weddings change, it will mean flowers will too. If weddings become more transportable, our designs will need to move with them...
]]>Available for Local Delivery (CB postcodes only) or Collection.
To order click here>
]]>The accreditation means that we have met the standards of excellence through our teaching, facilities, and learning materials. The accreditation has been an extensive process with onsite assessment and review of all our training materials and facilities.
The British Florist Association is the only governing body of Floristry in the UK representing over 7000 independent florists in the UK.
]]>There are a few changes, notably that there are far fewer students on a course - one of the benefits for you! We have moved the workbenches so that students are no longer facing each other and you get a whole workbench to yourself! Added to that the face masks, personal hand sanitiser and yellow stickers on the floor so you know where to stand, we really are running courses as normally as we can. We even have brand new deck chairs for the garden, so you can still enjoy your breaks in the garden if you want to (socially distanced of course!).
So, if you were a little bit worried about attending, please don't be!
A big thank you to all our students who have attended recently or are due to attend, without you we wouldn't be here!
Here are some students (donning their face masks) who have recently attended courses with us.
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Have you seen some of the silk flowers that are now available in stores just around the corner? They are amazing! No longer made from poor quality materials and in a fantastic array of varieties and colours they are a welcome addition to any florist's product range. I remember being a bit "sniffy" about silks - until a lovely student Daylin introduced me to a fabulous range (she had bought far to many so I bought some from her). They are strong and flexible and having been experimenting they really do fill a gap in the market.
They last forever! You do have to store them correctly (protected and away from direct sunlight).
Brilliant in the height of summer for big wedding and event display (we use them on our wedding and event course to show how flexible they are). If you have ever been up all night worried about your hydrangea wilting you will will know what I mean!
Mix in with fresh foliage and unless someone actually touches them they won't have a clue.
Recyclable - yes! With our constant awareness of being as eco-friendly as possible, silk flowers are a brilliant example of where we can reuse. No waste.
Keeps the costs down. Hire out silk displays - a great way to boost your fresh designs.
We are a great believer at the school in trying things out - not just taking someone's word for it. We learn from experimenting and trial and error (and a bit of pulling our hair out when we have to start again!). So we all have to learn and keep updating our skills - that is what makes floristry such a fantastic career!
]]>Being able to adapt our skills is important - finding a solution to what seems like an impossible task is what, for me, makes floristry exciting and every day different.
We recently had a request from a student to teach her how to put flowers on a dog collar. That's an easy one! Out came our flower jewellery skills and adapted for one happy dog (not sure he would actually be bothered), but certainly one happy bride.
If you have requests that you don't know where to start, then we often have the solution! Book a 1-1 and we will show you how to untangle the impossible and make it as easy as 1-2-3!
]]>To join the hip and trendy these are what to expect gracing your glossy magazines in the next few months!
1. Metals! Rusted, muted tones - not shiny gold or silver, but more pewter, copper, tin and iron. From baubles to candlesticks....
2. Taper candles. Elegant and understated these are perfect in an elegant table arrangement.
3. Natural wreaths. With the increased awareness of sustainability, wreaths no longer glitter and sparkle, but have a woodland feel using branches, dried materials and no flowers at all.
4. Dried flowers and materials. Yes, there is a revival in dried flowers. Perfect for Christmas as they will see you right through the festive season. From seed heads to dried Hydrangeas. Pop in some copper branches for the hint of something magical!
Of course, these are for those that not only follow trends, but stick to them like glue! I say, be your own person and buck the trends - there is nothing wrong with shiny red baubles (or paper chains come to that.....)
At The Cambridge Flower School we cater for everyone's taste!
Take a look at our Christmas Workshops and find the one right for you.
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When you receive your Peonies you may find that some of them aren't opening. This is because there is a sap that can stop them from blooming. To help remove the sap hold the Peony head under a tap of warm (not hot) water to remove the sap. They are hardier than you think!
We love to find out about the flowers we use - here are some interesting facts:
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Saturday 13th July 10am-4pm
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When you receive a fabulous handtied bouquet delivered with a water bubble (aqua pack), do you remove it?
Yes you should! The water bubble is simply there to ensure that when your florist delivers the flowers they have a source of water in case you are out and they, for example, have to leave with a neighbour. The water bubble is not a vase. In fact the cellophane that holds the water will heat up (plastic is great at that) and bacteria will start to grow fairly rapidly after a couple of days.
What you need to do is remove that water bubble as soon as possible! You can keep the tissue paper and kraft paper for a bit longer (unless the flowers are wrapped in cellophane - then that needs to come off too!). You can keep the bouquet tied together as this will help with the shape of the design in the vase.
The flowers should sit on the neck of the vase and remove any foliage below the water line (a good florist will have done this already for you.
Cut the stems at a 45 degree angle and place in fresh water (with the sachet of flower food that came with the flowers).
Then every 2-3 days take the flowers out of the vase (if they are still tied this makes it easier), empty the vase of the dirty water, clean the vase with a mild bleach solution and add water. Re-cut your stems and place in the water.
Keep doing this and your flowers will last longer!
Flowers love fresh water - it really is that simple...
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For Christians, Lent is a time to prepare for Easter and represents the 40 days when Jesus was tempted by the devil in the desert. During this time he didn't eat or drink anything.
As Lent is a time of "fasting" Shrove Tuesday is the day to eat all those fattening things that you won't be able to eat during Lent. For me that would be cake (so today I might just have the Lemon cake we have for class this evening), but historically that would have been eggs and milk!
Part of Lent is also the removal of all flowers from the church. It is important as a florist to remember this! Many churches will not allow any flowers in the church during this period. Do check with individual churches if you have weddings as some do make exceptions.
Churches are filled with flowers on Easter Sunday representing new life. As Lent ends we celebrate with Easter Eggs (phew, at long last!)
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But the simple Daffodil (Narcissus - botanical name) is a lucky symbol of future prosperity throughout the world.
Sometimes referred to as Jonquils or the "Lent Lily" in Wales if you spot the first Daffodil of the season it is said that the next year will be filled with wealth! So get hunting and keep your fingers crossed!
It is the birth flower of March and of course the national flower of Wales. It is also the 10th wedding anniversary flower which is said to ensure happiness. On St David's Day (1st March) it is tradition to wear a Daffodil.
The sap of the Daffodil can shorten the live of other flowers in the vase, however, if you cut the stem of the Daffodils and put them in a vase of flowers on their own for 30 minutes first and then add them to other flowers, they will all live happily together. They need plenty of water so make sure you keep the vase full.
But most importantly enjoy this national treasure and brighten your home!
]]>From looking for other materials for construction (instead of floral foam), to using alternatives for bindings and plastics it is vital that as florists we do not get left behind.
Buying British is of course the best thing we can do, but flower growers are small and artisan and on the whole do not grow all year round. Most florists cannot shut during the winter months - they need a flower supplier. When British are available, yes of course use them!
However, it is so much more than just the flowers we use. Floral foam takes 100's of years to biodegrade. There is vast research being undertaken and we will get there. But the nearest we have is a foam that biodegrades in 567 days in landfill sites at the moment.
If you are interested, then take a look at both our Creative Funeral Flowers course and Fleur Naturale course. Both look at designs suitable for eco-friendly and biodegradable designs.
]]>These beautiful spring flowers take their name from the Latin word for frog! The wild variety grow in swampy areas and originate from central Asia. Soft stemmed they need gentle handling. Perfect for a spring wedding they come in wide range of colours from subtle whites and creams to vibrant cerise!
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