Flower arrangement is an ancient art form, a human practice woven into our very existence on this earth. In a rapidly modernising world people have become totally disengaged with where flowers come from, how they are grown, harvested, which season they belong to. In many ways we have lost the very reason for arranging them - as a bridge to the natural world. This is prevalent in all aspects of floriculture in large scale production of flowers throughout the entire education system and across the events industry.

For the past decade our studio has striven to distance itself from a wider floral culture at odds with nature, seeking new ways of practising the arrangement of flowers. Our aim through the AESME SCHOOL OF FLOWERS is to offer an educational alternative for those looking to do the same. We have created a School that offers much more than simply an education in floristry. Infinite care is taken, from the selection of seasonal ingredients to the colour palettes and recipes, the music playing, the sequence, pace and flow of each session, right down to the ceramic vessels we’ve designed for every shape and size of arrangement.

We welcome flower arrangers from all over the world whether professional, amateur or aspiring - owners and employees of flower shops and studios, wedding designers and flower farmers. You certainly don’t have to be a florist to come to our School. Previous students have included lawyers and doctors, cooks and artists, gardeners, photographers, scientists, psychologists. Some have gone on to study garden design, to incorporate naturalistic design in hotels and restaurants or to photograph flowers. Many have been home arrangers for whom time with flowers is a personal practice. There is a whole spectrum of interest and many layers to peel back. We believe that learning about flowers and plants has the power to affect momentous change in our lives. How we think about the world around us, what we notice, the way we eat, how we shop and consume, how we garden and decorate, how we dispose of things, how we feel about ourselves and others and the world at large. How we deal with stress and even how we reconcile our own mortality.

The following five principles are what AESME stands for.

A

ARTISTRY

The artistic composition of flowers is a highly skilled craft involving trained handwork and precision, study of the natural world and the constant handling and editing of plant material over many years to become fluent. This blend of technique, design theory, imagination and individual instinct through the medium of flower arrangement makes it a uniquely rewarding creative practice. 

E

Ecology

Working in a naturalistic way with an emphasis on sustainability means looking closely at the plants we take our materials from and all the elements that affect them – the season, the weather, the soil, the insect life and biodiversity. The arrangements that result from this care and knowledge have a meaningful and evocative quality that speaks of that particular time of the year, the land they come from and the wider environment.

S

SEASONALITY

Sourcing locally and seasonally is nothing new. It’s the most ancient way of sourcing our food - and our flowers, too. In our work we acknowledge that natural materials are not ‘a given’ at any time of the year; they have their moment and then they are gone. In the UK we have distinctly different seasons, our ingredients changing daily, weekly, monthly, and our arrangements reflect this in the vase, celebrating the natural world that we’re privileged to be a part of.

M

MATERIALS

The provenance and quality of our produce is of paramount importance. We foster a deep respect, a sense of reverence and responsibility, for the materials we are lucky enough to use in our work. Organically grown with skill and passion, untainted by chemicals, our flowers are hard-won, and we appreciate them all the more for it. They are the crux, the reason, the endgame. These ingredients are fragrant, surprising and nuanced, safe to handle and to sniff! 

E

EXPRESSION

We believe in prioritising a dynamic creative process over the end product. Spirit over style. It is the active creation of an arrangement that provides the opportunity for self expression, a way to evoke emotion and ideas, inner thoughts and beliefs. In the composition of a flower arrangement is the means for reflection, healing, meditation, self care and ritual.