Floristry, anyone? – Review of a Tuscany Floristry Workshop

Professional, passionate and proud florists have created a retreat in Tuscany, to show you the ropes of their roles, and the mountains of Italy.

Day one and day two involve light foraging, in which you potter through a small area of green, snipping parts of trees and foliage, occasionally learning tit-bits on the way. This isn’t overly active and doesn’t feature too much work on the feet, it’s all very easy-going, you don’t need to prepare for breaking a sweat. It’s worth embracing the knowledge that the team have of all things floral, and seeing the foresight with which they do things. Foraging is followed by flower arranging, in bouquets and installations: ask questions and sometimes you shall learn. This is a great way to get to grips with the world of floristry, and to learn about how to cut, arrange and maintain floral arrangements, while overlooking green, luscious views.

Speaking of views, day three involves a wander to two different houses, both of which also feature extraordinary terraces overlooking the mountainous greens of Tuscany. In these houses, you make different flower arrangements and corsages- the floral part of the day is a 10am-6pm crux of your time.

Each day is punctuated by a rich, garlicky, cooked Italian lunch, to be eaten on site. Attention to detail is never overlooked by the team, a couple of whom are attentive, caring, and occasionally treat you like part of their family. The team work very hard on making sure things go right. They go the extra mile to make this happen. Rebel Rebel make a really big effort if you like flowers- and if you love them, Rebel Rebel might love you.
In a small atmosphere like this, it’s essential that you are either comfortable around people who are passionate about this world of floristry, or that you are with a couple of people who you relate well to: this is because you are in the countryside, and the people you are with form a large part of your headspace while you’re with them- especially in so peaceful an environment, with so few distractions to hide… anything.

The final day of the trip brings all elements of the trip so far together, with headdress making. If you’re really lucky, the Rebel Rebel team might be so kind as to lace your headdress for you. Only if you’re lucky, or good enough, though. The final evening of the trip consists of preparations for a fairy-lit feast in the garden-field of an authentic Tuscan house. Fire-flies and candles make for a beautiful, romantic setting.

No doubt, the logistics and individual features of the trip will vary each time it is run; the next one will be in September this year, contact Rebel Rebel for details, as the trips will be in groups of around ten people at a time.

Idyllic postcard scenes, and plenty of time to perfect your floristry, form the foundations of this trip, which is centred around arranging and wiring of flowers. This is for floristry lovers who are looking for a peaceful, flower-filled four days in the hills of rural countryside, and who are looking to learn from a team who love what they do.

For more information or to book your trip visit Rebel Rebel