A lesson in the fine art of floristry

Carla Watt and her daughter recently spent an evening learning the art of hand tying a floral bouquet, at the Petal & Stalk Flower School in Wellingore.
Established in 2014 by Abigail MacNiven, Petal & Stalk is a flower shop located on the High Street in Navenby. Its Flower School, which launched at the end of 2016, is located in the next village in the Bell Tower of Wellingore Hall.

Journeying through the Cliff villages, it promised to be a delightful way to spend a spring evening. Five other ladies joined the class for the two-hour lesson, led by Lisa. The atmosphere at the school has a relaxed, country house feel and is well equipped with trestle tables and high stools. Everyone was supplied with the necessary floristry tools, a generous selection of flowers and foliage. Lisa demonstrated how to condition the different species to ensure longevity and also explained the different kinds of unusual flowers Abigail selects – for which Petal & Stalk has become so well known.

Some delicious refreshments were enjoyed as everyone learnt how to form a hand-tied bouquet by lining up the flower stems whilst skilfully turning as the arrangement formed and as the volume built. Lisa encouraged people to add dashes of extra colour towards the end. Finally, the stems were tied securely with raffia before being cut to length. I was very proud of the end result; a beautiful bouquet full of spring colour, scent and subtlety which has brightened my living room for the past two weeks.

Petal & Stalk offers a selection of classes throughout the year, reflecting the seasons. These include lessons in how to create a table decoration, a hand-tied bouquet and the ever popular Christmas Wreath class. Prices range from £55 to £75 and would make a really enjoyable and unusual gift for someone special. The team has also enjoyed providing some lovely private party classes for up to nine people, which can be tailor-made to suit the occasion. You can find further details at www.petalandstalk.co.uk or by calling 01522 811873 to discuss in more detail.

The business has gained a nationwide following with a reputation for supplying British flowers whenever possible. Last year, Abigail was thrilled to be one of only five UK florists, and the only one outside London, to be invited to create a floral installation as part of the annual British Flowers Week campaign. Her design, which included a beehive in a garden of wild flowers and bee-friendly plants, was displayed at Covent Garden Flower Market. The day-to-day business is well known for creating beautiful and informal styling for weddings, corporate events, special occasions and all types of interiors. Abigail, together with Lisa and Pippa, make up the Petal & Stalk team with help from Millie, who works in the shop on Saturdays.

Abigail said: “We all enjoy the fact that every day is so different and we all love a challenge, whether it be a huge spectacular wedding, a shop window to dress, or a special party to style. We are also delighted to create beautiful arrangements for our regular customers.”

Petal and Stalk will be exhibiting for the first time this year at Lincolnshire Show. You can find their stand on The Mews, where owner Abigail MacNiven will be promoting the Flower School, her range of hand wash and hand lotions and Petal & Stalk’s pre-packed wreath making kit for Christmas.

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