How to bloom with Freesia Kahlo

Temple & Webster stylists Jono Fleming and Sarah Cousens can turn their creativity to a multitude of tasks. Most recently, the duo decided to give their green thumbs an education. Jono shares the story...

Flowers are an essential component to many styling shoots, and whilst I can throw a bunch together to fill a vase, the truth is that I have no knowledge of what I’m doing when it comes to floral arrangements. In a quest to learn some extra skills, Sarah and I signed up for a three week course with Jessie Carey of Freesia Kahlo.



The workshop occurs one evening per week and is held in the back of the Bow and Arrow shop in Manly, NSW. When we arrive, there's an assortment of flowers filling a large table with individual work stations set up around the perimeter, and glasses of fizzing Prosecco. Each person is given a kit containing all the essentials for beginning florists: scissors, plant tape, stem strippers, jute string, and water tubes.



Week one would see us cover the basics – how to condition flowers, how to hold flowers when arranging them, and how to create three different styles of posey. Jessie demonstrates a few options and then we're given the opportunity to see what we can come up with.

The three different styles were traditional, front facing, and modern. I gave each a try – to varying levels of success.



Week two was all about vases. We started with a beautiful mix of orchids and hydrangeas and a gorgeous tropical arrow leaf. Working with her vessel of choice – a fishbowl – Jessie demonstrated an arrangement with ease. Afterwards we tried out our own versions.

Each of us had brought in a vessel of sorts, ranging from jugs and vases to the large dried canoe of a palm husk Sarah dragged along. Jessie picked out flowers for our individual vessels and taught each of us how to arrange suitably for them. Sarah walked out of the class with a show-stopper of a centrepiece.



Week three came and we were greeted by the table filled with the most incredible array of flowers and foliage. The focus of this class was flower crowns, and although I’m not a regular wearer of them, Jessie had brought some beautiful greens and such a variety that I could attempt to make a more manly version. Being the last class, it was great to learn the techniques of wiring flowers and parafilming them. The green florist tape can be a bit tough to work with at the start, but with a bit of practice, we were all speeding along.

For more information on Jessie’s classes follow her on Instagram @freesia_kahlo or contact her via the Freesia Kahlo website.