Fleurs de Villes newcomer BLOOMdiggity Floral Studio stunned guests at the Calgary Stampede with their floral mannequin of country film and music star Dale Evans. We talk to Chelsa Larson, owner of BLOOMdiggity, about creating a fresh floral mannequin and where she finds inspiration.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY INTO THE WORLD OF FLORAL DESIGN.
I wanted to be a florist by the age of 14. I thought flower shops were total magic and loved the whole vibe. At 17, and having no experience, the only place that would take me on was a Safeway flower department. Instead of training, it was more in line with the spirit of Nike – “just do it”. I remember I would hustle through the “grunt work” so I could develop my design skills (even though I was winging it). Eventually it was time to move on from my hometown. In Lethbridge, I found a job at a flower franchise and spent five years there before wanting to expand my knowledge with different shops. I went to college for business administration at the same time. Eight years into my flower journey I hit a crossroads where it was either time to leave floristry altogether or take the big leap of opening my own studio. I honestly can’t imagine doing anything but flowers and it was breaking my heart to think of leaving it behind. A serendipitous Kijiji ad with a franchise owner looking to expand into Lethbridge helped me begin my next adventure as a flower shop owner. After 5 years we rebranded from the franchise into BLOOMDIGGITY Floral Studio, and in January 2025 we will celebrate 10 years of slinging beautiful flowers!! That is mind boggling to me… and even though it hasn’t always been an easy journey, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
WHAT DID YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT FLEURS DE VILLES AT CALGARY STAMPEDE?
We are from Lethbridge, so we tend to idolize the big flower players in Calgary! Having the privilege of getting to work alongside these people we have followed for so long and come together on the common ground of design, creation and a passion for flowers was so wonderful and humbling. Seeing Dale Evans in full physical form was also incredible, she was better than I even imagined, which our team felt really good about!
WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE WHEN CREATING YOUR DALE EVANS MANNEQUIN FOR FLEURS DE VILLES?
I think the biggest challenge for us was creating a water system that could give us a bit more time in between refreshes. As we are based out of Lethbridge, it was harder to go back and forth in between regular studio hours and weddings/events (we also had our biggest wedding of the season that weekend, too). It was important to feel confident that Dale was going to hold up for a minimum of 3 days until we could get back to her. Under Dale’s Skirt we had a system of irrigation lines that dripped into our creation of florist wire, pillow cages and floral foam. There were also two vases of water that fed the irrigation lines that we could refill each visit. These were all battery operated and set on a timer to go off every hour for 10 seconds. It basically created a balance where it would keep everything hydrated, but also not cause any water issues to the tables and space surrounding. To help mitigate mess, we used plant seeding trays to create her surrounding landscape and to catch any water that may drip from her skirt. I honestly think assembling the mechanics of her skirt took the most time (aside from the day-of set up).
IS THERE A NON-FLORAL ARTIST THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY REALLY INTERESTED IN?
I found this artist on TikTok named Izzi Lee. She classifies herself as a cartoonist and the artwork she pairs with the incredibly vulnerable topics she explores is… I want to say child-like, but only in the sense that it reaches into that part of you and seems to communicate directly to it. Her content can be very healing, or it can punch you right in the guts. I love it.
IF YOU COULD SPEND A DAY WITH A FLORAL EXPERT, WHO WOULD IT BE, AND WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO LEARN FROM THEM?
I feel like I have always gotten a little starry eyed whenever a post by Flowers Vasette shows up on my feed. I see posts of their shop and their designs and I’m like, “Maaaan, they’re just over there living the dream.” Sometimes being in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada gives you some serious product envy. Like, look how big those blooms are! I don’t care what they say, in this instance, size matters. I think I would just love to be in a space where it is evident that flowers play a crucial role in everyday life. I’d be finding a way to bottle some of that and bring it back here. Also, who wouldn’t want to get their hands on some of those flowers and design?!
DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE MOVIE, TV SERIES OR BOOK – ONE THAT INCORPORATES FLOWERS IN A BEAUTIFUL WAY?
I really loved the book The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart. Each chapter begins with a flower and its meaning as a way to set the tone for the coming pages. The story is heart breaking in many ways, but also very beautiful. The fact that much of the book takes place on a flower farm in Australia is a definite highlight. For the non-readers, they did turn the book into a limited series on Netflix.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE FLOWER RELATED QUOTE?
I have always loved this poem by Nayyirah Waheed:
“flower work / is / not easy. / remaining / soft in fire / takes / time.”
I have a framed version of it on my wall at home.
CAN YOU SHARE ANY TIPS FOR NOVICE FLORAL DESIGNERS LOOKING TO IMPROVE THEIR SKILLS?
Get weird with it. Never stop getting weird with it. It’s so easy to get caught up in what is trending and what is expected, that we often forget to play. And play is what is going to make you a truly amazing designer over time, because you will be besties with your creativity – you will fuel one another. Be weird and unapologetic about it. I wish people indulged my weird when I first started out. I’ve spent many years trying to get back into that frame of mind.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE YOU SEE PEOPLE MAKING WHEN IT COMES TO CHOOSING FLOWERS?
I don’t know if I really think of it in terms of mistakes, but more like educating or helping people understand what it is they’re really after. A lot of times people have a vision in their mind of what they want, but that vision may not be aligned with their expectations of how the flowers will perform, the logistics of their event, or, of course, their budget. Our goal is to get them to a place where we are still getting them their aesthetic that meets their well discussed expectations at an agreeable budget range. Additionally, markets are providing more and more offerings, and our clients sometimes don’t understand certain colours, textures or mechanics (reflexing being a big one). It’s been important to introduce them to those elements, making them more familiar and comfortable.
LASTLY, COULD YOU OFFER OUR READERS A SNEAK PEEK INTO ANY UPCOMING PROJECTS FROM YOUR FLORAL STUDIO?
Recently we started a sister project called Deadhead Flower Patch (you can find us on Facebook and Instagram). We are in the middle of our first season where we are growing our own product. It’s been a rollercoaster ride, but it’s brought me even closer to flowers and renewed my love for them. We’ve got lots of progress to make and much to learn, but we’ve got big goals for the upcoming year including hydroponic tulips and *fingers crossed* a more permanent greenhouse for our anemones and ranunculus. We are super excited to be able to provide flowers not currently available from the traditional markets while minimizing our footprint and lowering expenses, which can in turn pass on to our clients.
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