04| Flowers

Seasonal floral workshops from the fairytale surroundings of the Secret Garden.

Flower School with an array of bespoke floral workshops from the fairytale surroundings of The Shepherd's Purse in Whitby.

Workshops run throughout the year, for small groups to ensure that each participant gets plenty of individual attention. These are suitable for both beginners and experienced florists looking for inspiration.

We provide an abundance of hand-selected seasonal blooms from fragrant flower markets, along with colourful gems picked at the peak of perfection from our local growers here in North Yorkshire. All combined with an array of stylish dried flowers from the Netherlands, and seasonal foliage collected from along the hedgerows, moor tops and morning walks through the woods.

Why not stay over in our unique accommodation and make your mesmerising floral experience last longer.

After all of our workshops, you will take your finished designs to display and enjoy in your home. Remember to bring a camera or phone to capture your finished design so you can cherish it's memory (and of course show all your friends on social media!)

At the close of every workshop, I will be on hand to help with photography, offering stylings tips and carefully sourced props to create the most artful of arrangements.

For a more intimate floral experience, book a 1:1 workshop which I can tailor to your personal requirements. One to one workshops are a fantastic opportunity to find your floral style, enjoy vessels brimming with seasonal flowers and interesting foliage, just waiting for you to arrange them. I will take you through how I choose the flowers and ingredients, what I use for inspiration and will share how I use colour, shape and texture.

Flower School

It all started on a winters day sitting with my father surrounded by damp moss, fragrant foliage, lichen covered branches and interesting seed pods, making wreaths to sell at Christmas. I was instantly hooked. By the next year, we had started our first wreath making workshop here at The Shepherd's Purse.

Flowers, herbs and plants had always been the most important aspect of our family traditions. From Grandfather's abundant vegetable plots and glorious roses, to my family kitchen garden in our childhood home in Egton. I was given my first flower bed at the age of 5, where I played endlessly with flower faeries among the hollyhocks and roses, surrounded by the lush smell of the lilac blossoms that generously bloomed for my birthday.

My mother, Rosie, showed me how fresh flowers soothe the soul and give a meditative quality to life. I spent hours drawing them, studying their shapes and textures. She watched on with a mother's kind and loving reassurance, she knew I would always enjoy the company of flowers.

I find myself continually inspirited by a melody of color, overgrowth, and general untamed loveliness found in the natural world. I believe the indigenous ingredients create an authenticity to my colour palettes and textural floral story.

Later, when I travelled to the Mogul gardens of India and the ancient groves of Morocco, the enchantment of flowers as an object of desire was instilled. I became enchanted by the fragrance of flowers, the magic of aromatherapy, the ancient connection we have with the natural world.

I have spent the last few years broadening my floristry skills with Vervain Flowers, Soil and Stem, The Wilde Floral at A Still Life , Pondarosa and thyme and Simply by Arrangement.

Check out our EVENTS PAGE for more details .