Fun to do

Students embark on flower arranging courses and floristry courses for many different reasons. It may be to gain new ideas, to learn new skills, to start their own business, but why flowers?

It's hard to imagine a more thorough work out for the mind when working with flowers as designing takes your thoughts in all different directions from colour to shape, texture to form. The design you're working on interprets emotion and conveys the  theme you are expressing. There is the spatial relationship between the components and the dexterity you require to cut and place the components precisely.

You are working with living, beautiful, flowers and foliage and, while beauty is subjective, if others like what you make then you can enjoy a great feeling of success.

Ultimately the pleasure you get is from making the design from start to completion; which is an expression of you.

If you are thinking of starting a course and haven't worked with flowers before, a one day workshop may open a door to a side of you that you are going to enjoying discovering.

Where to start: ?

books, videos and courses from wedding to funeral

Flower Arranging Courses - 2021 - Timetable to suit you

If you are like Gill then you have probably enjoyed 'making things' almost as long as you can remember. Gill fell in love with making flower arrangements at 11 years of age simply because there was a horticultural show being held and the school near where she lived and the local NAFAS (National Association of Flower Arranger Societies) flower club was running a children's competition.

Creating impact with minimal materials is achieved by creating Contemporary Flower Arrangements (CFA) and Gill's classes and workshops offer many different contemporary flower arranging techniques as well as classes for Traditional Flower Arrangement (TFA)

It's all about you. There are flower clubs across the country and they are always looking for new members so seek out your local flower club, try a few and find the one that most suits you. Flower for you and your friends can be elevated by knowing more about flowers; how to design with and look after them. There are Flower Arranging courses to attend, Free Flower Arranging Videos to watch and many Flower Arranging Books to read. A great way to dip in is watch any of the Free Flower Arranging Videos or visit a NAFAS flower club as a visitor and watch a floral art demonstration.

When it comes to flower arranging it is hard to imagine a more thorough work out for the mind as when working with flowers and designing it takes your thoughts in so many different directions; from colour to shape, texture to form. The design you're working on interprets emotions and conveys the theme you are expressing. There is the spatial relationship between the components and the dexterity you require to cut and place the components precisely.

What can you do next? You could choose a Flower Arranging Course to attend and then give Gill a call to discuss, or you could visit your nearest NAFAS flower club or start watching the free Flower Arranging videos that are available on this college website. Once you are underway to become a flower arranger you may also wish to know that Gill's most popular Flower Arranging Book is ' 50 Techniques Used in Contemporary Floral Designs' and Gill has it and her other books available for you to review at the different shows around the country that she attends and available to purchase from this college's website.

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Flower Arranging Books '50 Techniques Used in Contemporary Floral Designs'

Seventy different floral designs of distinction were created and photographed to visually illustrate the “50 Techniques used in Contemporary Floral Design”.

With Gill's expertise in floral design she explored the definitions used by both NAFAS and the florist industry and used her floral design expertise to create designs that depict Gill's interpretation. 

A flower arranging and floristry book written for experienced flower arrangers and florists and as a learning resource for students studying Contemporary floral design.

By simply 'thumbing' through the pages you can look through the 70 different designs created for the book to perhaps become inspired to use a technique in your next design that gives it even more distinction.

Otherwise step through the alphabetical ordering of the book and thereby use it as a visual reference to identify what a technique looks like when used in a design.

This book also includes photographic ideas of structures and containers which can be self made some of which are featured in Gill’s previously written “Contemporary Floral Design Ideas and Techniques” Booklets: six are from Booklet-2 and one is featured in Booklet-1. The Booklets provide colour photography of the completed design and a written description as to how it can be made.

For the self made containers a collection of photographs are provided to further show the construction methods and are again supported by a comprehensive written description as to how they can be made.

As an experienced Flower Arranging Teacher, Floristry Teacher and Flower Arranging Demonstrator Gill McGregor has specialised in Contemporary Floral Design and knows how important it is to include Contemporary techniques within floral designs to create Floral Designs with distinction.

(UK and NI - other countries vary - see below for details).

"50 Techniques Used in Contemporary Floral Designs".
ISBN 978-0-9929332-0-3. Full colour photography and supporting text, A5 portrait, 56 pages including covers.

Flower Arranging Credentials

Gill has performed 100s of Floral Art demonstrations and entertained 1000s of club members at NAFAS Flower Clubs in the London and Overseas, Home Counties, East of England, Kent, BBO and Surrey Areas. A Flower arranger since the age of 11, Gill was on the adult flower arrangers, competitor’s circuit at the age of 14; winning a host of different competitions and awards. At 16 Gill performed her first Floral Art demonstration and became a qualified NAFAS Flower Arranging demonstrator in 1992. As a fully qualified Flower Arranger Gill has taught Traditional Flower Arranging and Contemporary Floral Art classes and workshops; receiving hosts of compliments for their course content and her teaching delivery. For many years Gill was a Floral Art scheme adviser for City and Guilds and wrote the current suite of C&G Level 1-3 Flower Arranging qualifications. Flower Arranging has always been Gill’s passion and she continually strives to design and develop new Floral Art Techniques and Designs for the Floral Art World.

Floristry Credentials

Gill McGregor NDSF is a fully qualified florist holding the Society of Floristry NDSF Diploma, equivalent to the current Level 5 C&G Floristry qualification, a fully qualified Further Education (FE) teacher and the holder of the Certificate of Education. Gill's expertise for developing courses is achieved through her vast experiences; in the management of thriving retail floristry businesses in London for 12 years, running a floral and balloon decorating business specialising in wedding designs and decor and participating in wedding fashion shows. As Gill’s passion and enthusiasm for teaching developed Gill successfully grew and headed up an OFSTED Grade 1 Floristry department in a specialist FE College for many years.
Heavily involved in the promotion of the Florist industry Gill participated in the writing of City and Guilds Floristry qualifications for over 20 years and has demonstrated Floristry skills and techniques at eminent Floristry shows in the UK, Essen, Paris and Kansas. Gill received the prestigious City and Guilds silver medal (highest accolade) for her achievement in the Level 4 Floristry Business Procedures qualification in the UK. Over the years Gill has taught 100s of Floristry students with many running successful businesses in London and the Home Counties.

• Flower Arranging Books by Gill McGregor

Courses run in idyllic local settings which include character hotels and approved facilities in the Hertfordshire - London ⁄ Middlesex, Cheshunt, Goffs Oak and Waltham Abbey; dependent on anticipated course delegate numbers. Refreshments are provided.

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