A Thanksgiving Flower Workshop at Bilston Creek Farm
Celebrating local flowers
Saturday, October 10th was truly a magical morning as a dozen or so attendees collectively - yet, still, from a distance - created flower centrepieces to grace their Harvest tables. The flower workshop was held in the barn at Bilston Creek Farm and with the Autumn sun shining through the post and beams and the gentle breeze moving across the Lavender fields offering a subtle, relaxing fragrance, it was hard not to get lost in all the beauty that surrounded us. Our goal was to celebrate island-grown flowers, and every single stem used during the workshop was tenderly grown by Lorna Jackson at Ninebark Farm in Metchosin.
Zinnias courtesy of Ninebark Farm. All images provided by Nikki Sequeira.
Our flower workshop process
I collectively lead a brief meditation, taking a moment to allow us all to savour the ingredients we were about the hold, and the beauty we would create together. We took a moment to honour nature, the farmer who tended to the flowers from seed to bloom, and finally, offered gratitude to the ability to be together during such a tumultuous time in the world, even if from a distance. We then moved into a flower centrepiece demonstration, where I discussed basic floral design principles and offered an introduction to colour theory and flower placement, before each florist-to-be thoughtfully chose their flowers from the bounty that was provided to us. I was so impressed by the intention that each person gave to every stem they placed in their floral arrangement. While they worked, attendees were treated to an incredibly delicious grazing board courtesy of Bramble by Bilston, and house-made Apple Cider
Finishing on a high note with flower-filled centerpieces
Each individual created a floral centrepiece completely unique to their personal aesthetic as well as the space they intended to place it. Some flower arrangements featured bold, focal blooms and colour as their showstoppers, while others were delicate with soft movement and graceful texture. Each floral design was shockingly beautiful, and it was truly an honour to be present to witness such creativity unfold.
