Be your own florist at home

GORDON based florist, The Refined Bloom Co, has just released a range of DIY dried floral arrangement kits for a fun isolation hobby.

Available in several different colours and with Australia-wide shipping, florist Annie Goldie said she hoped the floral kits would be a great way for people to relieve some stress.

“I thought if I find it therapeutic and it helps me switch off, if I create these kits hopefully it could do that for others as well,” she said.

“I know that people are so stressed and flat, they just need something that can provide some escapism for a bit.

“With the dried flowers because they last a few years onwards depending on how you look after them, it’s nice to have something you can keep and is always there rather than constantly replacing fresh flowers.”

While she started out the business four years ago, Ms Goldie noticed that her dried floral arrangements were becoming more and more popular at the start of lockdown.

Typically creating arrangements for weddings and businesses, she said pivoting to offer something different like the DIY kits was important for her business.

“My primary line of work was wedding work and secondary was doing flowers for small businesses like hairdressers and things like that, that got wiped out by the pandemic,” she said.

“I had the idea to do these DIY kits and wasn’t sure if it was worth it.

“With this second lockdown, people were just feeling so flat, for me it’s been such a stressful time but the work I do is so therapeutic so I thought why not.”

In the kit itself, Ms Goldie said she included all the basic tools and equipment needed for a first-time flower drier.

“You get your vase or pot, I don’t use any floral foam because it’s not great for the environment so I use chicken wire, you get your own snips and a selection of dried flowers,” she said.

“There’s also a tips and tricks card inside on how to use the snips and load the chicken wire but it’s not a step by step tutorial because I didn’t want the pressure of having to achieve an end goal.

“I also have a tips and tricks card on foraging and drying your own flowers to encourage people to cut things, dry things and play around themselves.”

Having already started selling the kits, Ms Goldie said she aims to provide something relaxed and creative for her customers to do while at home.

“From the people who have ordered them, I have received messages saying they were looking for something like this but they didn’t know what it was until they saw it,” she said.

“It’s something to do, a little activity, something light-hearted and fun for those who need it.”

To purchase a dried floral arrangement kit for yourself or as a gift, visit therefinedbloomco.com.