Last month, Poppy Parsons, AIFD, CAFA, got a phone call from Jennifer Harvey, CFD, CAFA, a bubbly Ontario designer she met at Canadian Florist’s Inspired Design contest in 2014, announcing that she’d be in her province in late June.
“I was so excited,” said Parsons, owner of Smart Flowers in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. “We’ve been trying to get together for years but have both been so busy.”
That call set into motion a much-anticipated reunion and especially engaging design workshop.
“In my neck of the woods, it’s a very rare occasion to have two accredited, award-winning florists together,” she said. “It struck us as a great opportunity to lead a design workshop.”
Intrigued by the concept of the 50-mile bouquet, sustainable arrangements consisting of locally-grown flowers, the women will show students how to make garden-style centerpieces,
garlands, and tablescapes for a summer party using primarily Saskatchewan products. “We have to stretch the milage a bit, but it will be fun to see what growers in Saskatoon and Regina have available.”
Parsons and Harvey will teach how to wire fresh greenery, blossoms, and summer fruits into a base of permanent botanicals. Smart Flowers can comfortably accommodate 6-8 pupils, but if more people want to join in, Parsons will find an alternate venue. “We’re hoping to keep it under 12 students though, so everyone gets adequate attention,” she said.
The exact date is not set in stone. “We could do it on a Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday night the last week of June,” Parsons said. “We’ll go with whatever works for the majority of interested participants.”
Parsons hasn’t named a price for the workshop yet. “That will be decided once we’ve finalized the recipes from the growers,” she said. “But we’re trying to keep it between $75 and $100.”
In addition to top-notch, hands-on instruction, participants will enjoy laughs from two vivacious designers and light refreshments. “I’m thinking either mimosas or sangria,” Parsons said. “We want this to be a fun, fresh, vibrant event.”
To sign up, contact Parsons at [email protected].