Rowan Blossom is a florist, stylist and digital content creator. Her love of beautiful seasonal blooms and nonchalant approach to flower arranging led to the publication of her first book ‘Living with Flowers’ in 2019. Since then she has continued to grow her online presence and collaborated with global brands such as Cath Kidston, Ralph Lauren and Next.
We caught up with Rowan to discuss her new project Floriography, available now.
Floriography: Learn the language of flowers. From orange blossom for innocence to yellow roses for infidelity, flowers have been used to convey messages for millennia. Use flowers to pass secret codes, uncover hidden feelings and be sure your gifts aren’t getting lost in translation. With Floriography you’ll know never to give a ranunculus to your mum or orchids to your boss! Explore their deeper meanings in 50 illustrated cards, learn their significance in history, pop culture and art, and you truly will be able to say it with flowers.
We’d love to hear more about where you worked on this project, describe your work space to us
I no longer have a studio in Notting Hill, sadly, and am currently based in the Cotswolds at my family home – a haven which we retreated to at the start of the first lockdown in March 2020 and still haven’t left! We live in a pretty village called Painswick, known as ‘The Queen of the Cotswolds’. I wrote most of the text for Floriography in the garden (which seemed perfectly fitting!), but now the weather is less than dreamy I mainly work from the kitchen table for writing and styling.
(All illustrations by Alice Tye)
Other than your local area – are there any regions that you have a particular connection to?
Prior to the pandemic I’ve lived in London for the past 14 years, specifically in and around Notting Hill which I would definitely consider my stomping ground. We own a flat there and I started Rowan Blossom in a tiny pop up shop, and later had a studio there, 6 years ago, so it will always be a place close to my heart.
What is your favourite occasion to create floral arrangements for?
I actually love arranging flowers for the home the most! There is something so gratifying and uplifting about having fresh blooms in the house – the introduction of colour, scent and texture into the interior instantly elevates the everyday into something more special! And in my opinion there is nothing more gloriously restorative for the mind than to take a moment out of the week, however busy you may be, to enjoy the act of arranging flowers. It is creative, inspiring and will bring joy to your home.
Do you have favourite season for flowers? If so, why?
British flowers are really at their most glorious in late Spring, heading into early Summer… There is just something so magical about the garden erupting into life, colour and vivacity after a long bleak Winter! Spring brings all of the dainty elegance with flowers like Snowdrops, Narcissi, Bluebells and Lily-of-the Valley, whereas Summer has all the drama thanks to the ruffles of Peonies, Roses and lofty height of Foxgloves and Sweetpeas, so it’s impossible to choose between the two as I adore them both equally but for different reasons!
What advice would you give to aspiring floral designers?
I’m asked this a lot, and I think the best advice when you are first starting out is to get as much hands-on experience with flowers as possible – whether its playing around at home with bunches you bought at the supermarket, or interning with professional event florists – as much time working with your snips and blooms is how you are going to learn the most. I also suggest trying to work with seasonal flowers wherever possible and am a huge advocate for supporting local flower growers. Really, nature should be a floral designers biggest inspiration (rather than Instagram!), so I always say to open your eyes to the beauty that is growing around you in parks and gardens.
Do you feel like flowers will always be in fashion no matter how much time passes?
Oh absolutely! Flowers have this sort of omnipresence, their beauty is matched equally by their resilience so I cannot imagine a life or world without them really!
(Photo credit Rowan Blossom)