Flower Arranging

This course is suitable for anyone who likes flowers and wants to learn how to arrange them, make the most of a limited selection, to stretch the imagination and present flowers in a new way. The course will cover flower arranging and floristry with a relaxed and fun approach. You will provide your own materials under guidance and be encouraged to select and choose containers, foliage and flowers yourself.

As this course is part of our leisure programme there is no formal assessment or qualification; you will be encouraged to keep a diary of your own progress with notes or photographs of your displays.  At some classes you can be creative and make your own containers. Environmental issues are taken into account and alternative eco friendly mechanics are encouraged and introduced.

Our tutor, Katherine Kear is a national demonstrator, stylist, designer, tutor, folklorist and florist extraordinaire. She has been working with flowers for over 30 years. As well as teaching floristry and flower arranging Katherine has been a regular contributor and researcher for BBC Radio Gloucestershire, where her love and passion for folk and life lore is shared with the listeners, her knowledge and expertise has been used on several television programmes, as well as appearing on them herself. She works regularly with several celebrity gardeners in an exciting flower arranging 'hands on'. Her major literary success was the publication of 'Flower Wisdom' in 2000. She was a consultant for The Usborne Little Book of Flowers and has edited Elements and Principles, and Flowers for Grand Occasions for NAFAS and 5 floristry syllabuses for ICS.

Katherine is described as 'Gloucestershire's answer to Joyce Grenfell' and her audiences and students are promised artistic and refreshing presentations filled with humour and repartee. She is also a British Master Florist. Find out more about Katherine here.

On the first session there will be an overview of the course, date and times will be given and a design will be made.

You will need a toolbox if you have one, or a pair of flower cutters. A note pad, pen, hand towel and box to transport the design will also be needed.  Bring a camera/phone to capture your results.

The materials for the first class will be provided by the tutor, at cost. Students will pay on the evening for the materials used (approximately £6).

We encourage early enrolments to allow Katherine the opportunity to gather an accurate amount of resources for the first session.

By the end of the course you will be able to:

• create design for the home, gifts, celebrations and events
• choose the materials needed and to condition and buy the flowers
• understand the principles and elements of design
• understand the history of floral designs and the difference between flower arranging and floristry

Summer Term 2024 @ Abbeydale Sports & Community Centre

Mondays, 1pm - 3pm, 10 weeks

• April - 8th, 15th, 22nd
• May - 20th
• June -10th, 17th
• July - 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd

Autumn Term @ St Lawrence Church Hall, Wednesdays, 6.30pm – 8.30pm, 10 weeks

18th, 25th September
9th, 16th, 23rd October
6th, 13th, 20th, 27th November
4th December

Spring Term 2025, @ St Lawrence Church Hall, Wednesdays, 6.30pm – 8.30pm, 10 weeks

22nd, 29th January
5th, 12th, 19th, 26th February
5th, 12th, 19th March
2nd April

Summer Term 2025, St Lawrence Church Hall, Wednesdays, 6.30pm – 8.30pm, 7 weeks

14th, 21st May
4th, 11th, 18th, 25^th, 30^th June

St Lawrence Church Hall, Barnwood, Gloucester, GL4 3JB.  Limited parking is available in the Church grounds but there is street parking nearby.

Abbeydale Sports & Community Centre, Glevum Way, Gloucester, GL4 4BL. Plenty of onsite parking is available and the Phoenix Cafe is open all day.