Interview With A Wedding Florist in Staffordshire

Bubbly, Vivacious and a tiny bit loopy! Rose’s enthusiasm for her craft knows no bounds, always keeping on top of trends and often exceeding expectations. She is a highly skilled and experienced, professionally trained florist in Staffordshire, who understands that a big part of her job is listening to her clients needs. Her creative flair is equalled by her attention to detail.

Gosh I remember it so well – I had been working on some fundraising for a charity that was extremely close to my heart a dear friend and I had made lots of Christmas garlands, wreaths, topiary trees and decorations to sell and we held a Christmas Fayre.

It was my friend Julie who said ‘Rose why the hell don’t you go and do a Floristry course? You’d be brilliant at it !’

I’d not done art at school or college but loved doing anything creative so took her at her word and enrolled at Caulden College, Burslem Campus, got myself a placement at what was the most up and coming florist in the area at the time and loved every moment of it – the rest is history !!

I opened the Topiary Tree in Hanford on 9 September 1999 so it will be 21 years in September this year !!

Being able to make people smile by bringing a little bit of colour and beauty into their lives and of course working with some of nature’s most beautiful forms.

Definitely natural, loose and random.

I love a “just picked” style with lots of moss and lichened twigs.

Oh blimey what a question !!! my favourite group of flowers would be garden flowers such as Clematis, Jasmine, Peony, Garden Roses, Lily of the Valley, Lupins, Delphinium – the list is endless.

My favourite flower I think I would have to say are Tulips though – such a simple form but so many gorgeous colours and a true sign that spring is here.

Since becoming the Topiary Tree’s wedding florist I tend to draw inspiration from my lovely couples their style, colour schemes their likes and dislikes and their personalities.

Nature is a wonderful thing and the way flowers complement each other in their natural settings gives us a good basis for inspiration.

Would a Nigella grow next to a pin head Protea?   So why put them together in an arrangement – Nature knows best.

Gosh there have been many – Opening my first shop has to be the biggest I think, followed 1 year later with my second shop, I managed to poach my former Floristry Tutor from college and she ran my second shop for me.

We were shortlisted for The Wedding Industry Awards ( West Midlands ) which was a wonderful achievement for all the staff.

But my latest highlight is being able to hand over the reigns to my daughter Steph 4 years ago.

She was in house taught at the age of 15 when she became a “Saturday girl” and showed her promise from then on.

She has a brilliant eye for colour and style and is a fantastic boss who knows what she wants to achieve and deliver to her customers.

One proud Momma florist.

Well apart from loving my job as a florist in Stafforshire, the people I work with and the flowers that I’m surrounded by, I can honestly say I consider myself very privileged to be where I am now.

I’ve mellowed a lot in the last few years after recovering from an illness that could have changed the life of my family forever and realising that life is short, things that used to bother me now go over my head.

I sometimes say exactly what I think but I also have very silly moments that often appear on a Friday which are known in the shop as “Funny Friday” - I know my work colleagues just take me as I am; serious or silly, and yes I do know that my profile on the web site describes me as a bit “loopy” – this I think, is quite an accurate description!

I have two beautiful girls though aged 23 and 28 that keep me grounded one is Steph who I have mentioned above and the other is Soph a student nurse and I am blessed and so proud of them both.

If I were to give some advice it would be – follow your dreams – no one else can do it but you ❤️