Love to be Green Designer Florist

FLORAL DESIGN WORKSHOPS

 

 

 

What’s on offer? Based in Newton Abbot, Love to be green offers Seasonal Saturday Classes on how to create BEAUTIFUL FLORAL DESIGNS using up to date techniques.

The informal, chatty yet informative classes are taught by  CITY & GUILDS qualified and experienced Tutor and Florist, Susan Hodges.  The classes have been very popular running on a regular basis for the past 10 years.

The fun and relaxing sessions include step by step tutor instructions, advice on choosing flowers and colours for each season and how to use these flowers in a contemporary and unique way.

WORKSHOP DETAILS

• When is the next workshop? Sat. May 17^th 2014 Time---10am to 2.30pm

• Topics? PRACTICAL – Concentric Circle 'gift wrapped' Posy & AFTERNOON TUTOR DEMO–
• Who are the classes suitable for? Beginners and those who wish to improve on their skills.
• Where? An extremely spacious hall in Kingskerswell, Newton Abbot, Devon

• What’s the cost? ----£30-00 including ALL materials & Light Refreshments

Topics? Learner Practical—Posy Design – construction of a gift posy using a lavender pouch focal point and making a circular ring effect with small delicate flowers/foliage.Gift wrapped for presentation. Excellent gift to give to your hostess when invited for dinner!

Afternoon Tutor Demo - Flat heart shape foam becomes 3 Dimensional!

Please bring with you your tool box including scissors/secateurs.

You will be asked at the beginning of the session to kindly sign a workshop injury disclaimer  statement.

PLEASE NOTE ---Payments MUST be made prior to the workshop date.

IMPORTANT : the photo is a guide- flowers may vary slightly .

Please don’t forget to bring a packed lunch and a camera!

Please make cheques payable to: Love to be Green

and send to -

Susan Hodges - 89 Fern Road, Aller Park, Newton Abbot TQ12 4NZ

sue@love-tobegreen.co.uk Tel: 01626 200767

A walk up 'Love to be Green's garden path!

 

 

 

 A peep into one area of our
 'Love to be Green' garden---showing all our fine foliage's and our Floral 'Design Headquarters' or 'Chill Out room' - where we are secluded from the world!

 Coming soon!    'Astilbe Corner'-----for our Summer Brides and Grooms to be x

 

 

                                SATURDAY APRIL 26TH

Love to be Green Designer Florist

FLORAL DESIGN WORKSHOPS

What’s on offer? Based in Newton Abbot, Love to be green offers Seasonal Saturday Classes on how to create BEAUTIFUL FLORAL DESIGNS using up to date techniques.

The informal, chatty yet informative classes are taught by a CITY & GUILDS qualified and experienced Tutor and Florist. The classes have been very popular running on a regular basis for the past 10 years.

The fun and relaxing sessions include step by step tutor instructions, advice on choosing flowers and colours for each season and how to use these flowers in a contemporary and unique way.

WORKSHOP DETAILS

• When is the next workshop? Sat. April 26^th 2014
• Time---10am to 2.30pm
• Topics? PRACTICAL - all foam' Purse Design & TUTOR DEMO– Faux Handtied
• Who are the classes suitable for? Beginners and those who wish to improve on their skills.
• Where? Spacious venue in Kingskerswell, Newton Abbot, Devon
• What’s the cost? ----£30-00 including ALL materials & Light Refreshments

Topics? Practical—Purse Design – construction of a floral purse using florists foam and wire base, securing handles  and finish by decorating with small delicate flowers/foliage on front and leaf layering on reverse side.

Tutor Demo. Unusual construction method to give the finished effect of a handtied bouquet.

PLEASE BRING WITH YOU YOUR TOOL BOX including Secateurs

PLEASE NOTE ---Payments MUST be made prior to the workshop date.

IMPORTANT : the photo is a guide- flowers may vary slightly from those in photo.

Please make cheques payable to: Love to be Green and send to -

Susan Hodges - 89 Fern Road, Aller Park, Newton Abbot TQ12 4NZ

sue@love-tobegreen.co.uk Tel: 01626 200767

Please don’t forget to bring a packed lunch and a camera!

NEXT WORKSHOP ----------MAY 17TH 2014

Thank You to Cathy Holloway, Aller  Park, Newton Abbot  for this great write up which was printed in the

Mid Devon Advertiser

Local Florists at Newton Abbot Flower Club

Two local ladies, Susan Hodges and Carolyn Andrews, displayed their talents at Newton Abbot Flower Club this week, demonstrating some fantastic arrangements which they themed ‘New Beginnings’.

Susan from ‘Love To Be Green’ is a floral designer based on the outskirts of Newton Abbot.  Susan   began her career as a dress designer in London’s ‘fashionable’ West End and went on to run her own bridal business designing and making wedding and bridesmaid dresses. After moving to Devon, Susan transferred her design skills into her passion for flowers.  She gained qualifications in Floral Art, Floristry and Contemporary Floral Design & Teaching and was employed by Devon County Council teaching accredited and recreational courses in floristry, flower arranging and floral design. Today she runs her own successful floral business creating beautiful innovative designs with flowers.

Carolyn is also a professional and enthusiastic florist.  Carolyn qualified in teacher training at Bicton College and taught floristry for over 8 years.  She has owned and run 3 local florists shops, but now works from home, specialising in wedding floristry.

Their first arrangements were designs for new babies.   Susan began the evening creating a wonderful novel arrangement in a basket, using a background of blue spring flowers and eucalyptus.  At the front she carefully placed 14 white carnations, together with a blue bow and readymade eyes and nose.  You could hear the oohs and ahhs as she turned the arrangement towards the audience to display a cute white dog, all made from flowers. 

Carolyn followed this with her new baby girl design.  In a pretty pink china pot she placed tall pussy willow, looping some over into the oasis, pink carnations, lisianthus, local grown viburnham, gypsophilia (baby’s breath) dyed pink, a double headed pink lily and completed the arrangement with a tiny pink bird windmill.

Susan went on to make a spring bouquet using pink tulips, solidago, hypericum berries, pink roses and yellow spray carnations.  To this she added her own unique recycled pink buttons and beads on tall wired sticks.  Susan explained that many brides request a piece of personal jewellery from loved ones to be placed in their bouquets.   She finished with eucalyptus to hide the stems, giving the arrangement a collar and then wrapped ribbon round the remaining stems.

Next a stunning Valentine gift idea.  Carolyn threaded a thick red wire through the heads of 21 carnations, tied the ends of the wire together and formed it into a large heart shape.  Grouping the stems, she placed a beautiful pink rose down through the centre of the heart, fixing it in the top left corner, with a diamante pin in its centre to add sparkle and interest.  Round the outside of the heart shaped carnations she layered laurel leaves and then added two-tone pink tissue paper and cellophane, with a double layer on the base forming an aqua pack.  To finish she placed the aqua pack in a specially designed pink box and added ribbon. 

Lastly, Carolyn quickly showed us how to design a silk flower arrangement with a dogwood frame on a black platter, using red roses and two-tone pink orchids, which gave it an oriental feel. A very pretty, long lasting, quick creation!

It was wonderful to see the detailed work and creativity that goes into the running of a successful florist.  A most delightful, informative and enjoyable evening.  The members’ subject was ‘New Beginnings’ and results were: Novice: gold – Anne Whiteway and Jane Mason.  Intermediate: silver – Helen Griffiths.

Advanced: gold – Margaret  Cladingboel, silver – Susan Oliver.

Next meeting will be held on Monday 24^th March at the Courtnay Centre, Kingsteignton Road, Newton Abbot.   Come along and enjoy a fun and entertaining evening and see the magic of flower arranging unfold before your very eyes.  Doors open at 6.30pm for refreshments and the show starts at 7.30pm. 

Another 'Green Story' !!!

If one claims to be a 'Green' florist' one must supply the evidence.

 

2013 Bride & Groom Charlotte and James's Wedding Flowers .
Some flowers used were previously lovingly nurtured by us at

Love to be Green before they were incorporated  into Charlotte and James's wedding flower designs.

 

The original plants were purchased from a local nursery.

They grew in rich compost which we made using 'green waste' from previous wedding flowers and foliage offcuts.

 

They were fed with filtered waste from our two garden ponds.

 

They were watered with beautiful rainwater from our own reserves

 

They had no carbon footprints as we cut the flowers and foliage ourselves and walked only a few paces to the workroom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Herbs cut from our own garden in Devon.

 

 

 

Beautiful Amnesia and Sweet Avalanche Roses interwoven with our own grown

 filler flowers and herbs.

 

 

 



'Green Story'

 

If one claims to be a 'Green' florist' one must supply the evidence.

 

 

 2013 Bride and Groom Emma and Kristian's Wedding Flowers

 

Some flowers used were previously lovingly nurtured by us at

Love to be Green before they were incorporated  into Emma and Kristians wedding flower designs.

 

The original plants were purchased from a local nursery.

They grew in rich compost which we made using 'green waste' from previous wedding flowers and foliage offcuts.

 

They were fed with filtered waste from our two garden ponds.

 

They were watered with beautiful rainwater from our own reserves

 

They had no carbon footprints as we cut the flowers and foliage ourselves and walked only a few paces to the workroom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.....and before the flowers.......a little bit of 'Me' HISTORY