Kirsten Tanner
Which course did you study at Tallulah Rose Flower School?
Four week Career Change Course in February 2019.
What did you enjoy most about the course?
Meeting likeminded people and making new friends. I speak daily with my class mates and have done so since the course end. The teaching was of course brilliant too!
What was the most important thing that you learnt?
To be yourself and create flowers that you enjoy. Everyone has their own unique style which will develop the more you work with flowers.
What was your first big break or most memorable moments so far?
My most memorable moment so far has been my first wedding. The run up to the wedding was very nerve racking but delivering the bouquet to the bride was an amazing feeling.
Describe a typical floristry day…
Every day is different for me. I might have to tackle admin and sit down to order flowers or work out wedding logistics. Or, I could be out collecting flowers from my local grower or pottering around the garden. If I have a wedding then I am up very early to load my truck and pack the bouquets and buttonholes safely.
What’s been your highlight to date?
I have been lucky enough to work on some beautiful weddings, one in particular stands out as it appeared in Vogue a little while after! I had no idea that it would be shown, but the bridesmaid at the wedding was a fashion journalist and wrote an article on the wedding. The bride surprised me afterwards by sending it to me!
What advice would you give to a new student starting out?
Make friends with other people in the flower community. It really helps to talk to fellow florists as it can get a little lonely working on your own! I have also learnt to only work with flowers that I like. Don’t use flowers that you don’t like in your work as you will never like the end product!
What’s the most valuable part of being able to say you trained at Tallulah Rose?
I am always proud to say that I am a Tallulah! It is a recognised flower school within the industry and it’s great to be able to tell people where I trained. Non-Tallulah florists are always in admiration of the school when I tell people where I learnt my floristry skills.
How have the contacts you made during your Tallulah Rose training helped with your business?
Rachel has always been on hand to answer any questions I have which has been a great safety net for me, especially when I first started my business. My classmates were great and I speak to them regularly, we also try and meet up once a year or to help each other out with weddings. It was lovely to have people around me when I first started so you could share experiences and ask questions. Without them I think I would have been quite lost!
What makes your floristry business unique?
I think that everyone has their own floristry style and particular flowers that they like to use in their work. This always makes someone’s style or look unique. I would say that I don’t like to follow flower wedding trends as these can always date your work. I like my flowers to look timeless and always opt for flowers that are classic “cottage garden” varieties. I also grow some of my own flowers and foliage so there tends to be something a little unique in my work most of the time.
Is there an opportunity that springs to mind that Tallulah Rose gave you the confidence to pursue?
I was lucky enough to be asked to take part in the Strawberry Hill Flower Festival twice. The festival is about creativity and using only British flowers. Without my training at Tallulah Rose, I don’t think I would have been confident enough to take part. We were shown at Tallulah Rose how to create displays with foam free mechanics and to develop your own style.
What is your favourite British flower and why?
I have several favourites. I think the one that springs to mind is the Foxglove. They mark the start of summer for me and grow in the wild everywhere near my home. They are great for the bees and last for a very long time. I even like their skeletal remains that stay upright in the garden for months after they have dropped their last flower. They also come in many different varieties which are all beautiful.
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Profile photo credit: Y Mor Photography
