Your first floristry workshop: what to expect

I answer every enquiry email at this studio, and roughly half of them contain some version of 'sorry if this is a dumb question'. There are no dumb questions — there are about eight questions everyone asks, and here they are answered.

What actually happens when you arrive

You walk up to a bench that's already set: your stems in a bucket, tools laid out, apron waiting. There's coffee. A tutor demos the day's technique for 15–20 minutes — everyone stands around watching, phones out, nobody writing anything down because we give you the printed card after.

Then you make the thing yourself for 60–90 minutes while tutors circulate. Then we wrap it, photograph it if you want, and you leave carrying something that will make strangers on Queen Street do a double-take. That's a promise — it happens every single Saturday.

Do I need to be 'creative'?

No, and I say this as someone who watches first-timers weekly. Floristry at class level is closer to cooking from a recipe than painting a masterpiece — follow the technique and the flowers do the pretty part themselves. The people who stress most about 'not being creative' produce the most interesting work, because they follow instructions instead of fighting them.

What to wear

• Clothes you don't mind getting sappy — aprons help but enthusiasm doesn't respect boundaries
• Closed shoes (tools and floors, standard workshop rules)
• Tie back long hair if you have it — you'll be leaning over your work
• Leave the rings at home if they're precious — wire work is tough on jewellery

Will my bouquet look bad?

Your first spiral will probably wobble. Then a tutor adjusts two fingers' position and suddenly it works — that's literally the job. By the end everyone's bouquet looks good, and honestly the 'wonky first attempt' photos are the ones people frame.

The stuff nobody asks but should

• There's street parking and the Civic car park five minutes away
• You can absolutely come alone — most people do
• Classes run 2.5–4 hours and it flies
• Your arrangement comes home with you, wrapped

Ready when you are — the bouquet class is where 9 out of 10 first-timers start, and the prices page has everything else.