TELL US ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY INTO THE WORLD OF FLORAL DESIGN?

At 17, I had worked various retail jobs. I was starting my first year of university and was looking for a fun part-time job. The then-owner of Academy Florist attended my church and so I asked if she had any openings, she said she did and I started the following week. Working evenings and every Saturday, I started by helping customers, processing flowers and washing buckets. Eventually, I began learning the basics of design. Shortly after, I was able to create more elaborate arrangements and then took on weddings. A few years later, I became the company manager, overseeing 3 locations, creating the schedule and aiding in product development, along with daily orders and wedding work. I’ve attended many workshops, virtually and in-person, including travelling to NYC twice.

When the opportunity to purchase Academy Florist came about, there was no doubt in my mind that this was meant to be – having my mom join me as a partner in the business has made it that much sweeter. 

I have had the privilege of working with some of the city's most talented designers and some of the most friendly and caring people. And now I have the opportunity to employ them and grow the business beyond what I could have imagined as the 17-year-old girl that started in the world of floral design. 

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WHAT DID YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR FIRST FLEURS DE VILLES SHOW?

The opportunity to get outside of our comfort zone and put our skills and knowledge to the test. Knowing that our mannequin would be on display for 11 days forced us to be creative in our mechanics and flower choices. As a company, we are aiming to be more sustainable, limiting our use of floral foam whenever possible, and this show was no exception. 

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WHAT EMERGING TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF FLORISTRY ARE YOU MOST EXCITED FOR IN 2024?

We are most excited about sustainability in the floristry world. There are new products coming into the market that will help us get rid of toxic floral foam and we could not be more excited to have the support of our clients in this venture. 

WHO INSPIRES YOU FROM THE WORLDS OF ART, FASHION, ENTERTAINMENT OR DESIGN?

For this particular project we were inspired by Sue McLeary of Passion Flower Sue. She is so knowledgeable, talented and creative. I was lucky enough to meet her 10 years ago at floral workshops in New York City, where she was teaching alternative ways to make wearable flowers. She was incredibly kind and helpful, and I came back from that workshop with confidence and new skills to share. 

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HOW DO YOU INCORPORATE FLOWERS INTO YOUR PERSONAL STYLE?

It is a luxury to be able to bring fresh flowers home to enjoy, especially in the winter months when it is so cold here in Winnipeg. My favourite bouquets are all the same flowers, such as a full bunch of carnations – they last forever and a bunch can go a long way. 

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HAS YOUR EXPERIENCE OF PARTICIPATING IN FLEURS DE VILLES INFLUENCES YOUR APPROACH TO FLORAL DESIGN IN OTHER ASPECTS OF YOR BUSINESS?

Fleurs de Villes has given us the confidence we need to continue to incorporate more sustainable practices into our everyday design but also our large scale events. Our entire design for our Scotland mannequin was made possible by the use of moss and chicken wire, so I am convinced there isn't much that we can’t do with those two things. 

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WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABBOUT YOUR JOB AS A FLORIST?

What I enjoy most about my job is that we never have the same day twice. There is always something new to plan, there are challenges that we face and overcome, and we are often forced to think outside the box. I love to design with fresh colour palettes, as well as bring in obscure flower varieties and enjoy the opportunity to create in new and innovative ways every day.

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HOW DO YOU SEE THE FUTURE OF FLORAL DESIGN EVOLVING, AND WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT THE INDUSTRY?

I think there is so much potential for our industry to evolve and grow. There is an endless amount of information out there and I believe that the more we educate ourselves on pricing, flower care, and sustainability, the more we can educate our customers and the better it will be for the collective industry. 

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IF YOU COULD CREATE YOUR DREAM GARDEN, WHAT TYPES OF FLOWERS AND PLANTS WOULD YOU INCLUDE?

My dream garden would be full of perennials, a very self-sustaining system, with no room for weeds. Believe it or not, I am not a huge fan of gardening and I am terrible at watering my few house plants. However, my mom and business partner is an avid gardener. She can spend hours tending to her plants. She is one of the first customers at the garden centre, and frequently returns throughout the season to get “just a few” more things for her garden. 

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IF YOU COULD SPEND A DAY WITH A FLORAL EXPERT, WHO WOULD IT BE?

If I could spend a day with the creative minds of Native Poppy in California, I would love to learn their processes for product development and marketing. Their brand and aesthetic is so eye-catching and fun, and it makes you want to shop with them and support them as a consumer. Our entire team admires the work that they do!

LASTLY, COULD YOU OFFER OUR READERS A SNEAK PEEK INTO ANY UPCOMING PROJECTS THEY CAN LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING FROM ACADEMY FLORIST?

Other than our move to more sustainable practices, we are excited to take on some larger projects this year. We have an incredibly talented team that can make floral dreams come true, so we are very excited for some large scale weddings and events on the horizon!

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