About me
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My interest in flower arranging began over 25 years ago in Japan, when I took Ikebana classes while living in Kobe and Tokyo in the late 90s and early 2000s. I was fascinated by the slow and meditative process of placing a very few, carefully chosen, seasonal stems in the vessel you have chosen, in order to make a harmonious composition.
I see now that Ikebana is a strong influence on my floristry ethos, focusing as it does on seasonality, quality of materials, appreciating the unappreciated, and simplicity of mechanics. I've loved being outside in nature since the age of 7, when we moved to England and a cottage with a garden – the first I'd ever experienced. It was a wonderful, unruly paradise for a young child! I am sure the hours spent in that garden inspired my passion for local biodiversity and my concern for children's access to nature. |
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In 2015 we moved to Sweden, and I found myself co-founding a community action group called Stockholm Loves Pollinators, working with a sustainability consultancy, local residents and the international diplomatic community. Our aim was to install a beehive in the grounds of the local English church in the very heart of the city. This fundraising project developed into a wider campaign to lobby Stockholm City and city green-space owners to do more to support pollinators in the urban areas they managed. It subsequently lead to the development of a municipal pollinator strategy and the creation of new urban wildflower meadows in Stockholm.
On our return to Cambridge in 2019, I began a similar project, Coton Loves Pollinators, raising awareness of the needs of pollinators in our village, primary school and churchyard. At the end of this project, I decided to move away from my career as a Montessori teacher in order to do something creative and pursue my love of flowers. |
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I obtained my City & Guilds professional floristry qualification with Distinction in May 2021 (Shuttleworth College) and went on to train alongside RHS-award-winning florist, Claire Cowling of Thrive Floristry in Suffolk. I am deeply indebted to Claire for sharing her deep love of flowers, her industry knowledge, and above all her exacting technical mastery. The experience inspired me and informs all my work.
As someone who is passionate about pollinators, I believe strongly in being as sustainable a florist as possible. In order to deepen my understanding of issues within the industry, I am a member of the Sustainable Floristry Network. Undertaking their Sustainable Floristry professional development training is helping to support my advocacy for sustainable floristry practices among both customers and colleagues. I am currently enrolled on the RHS Level 2 Practical Horticulture course, and continue to use my teaching skills in floristry activities with children. When not in my workshop, I can be found walking our Cairn terrier, Huxley, helping to prune fruit trees in Coton orchard, or working in my garden where I'm developing my own cut-flower patch. I am also a Level 2 qualified Reiki therapist and love to give Reiki, including to my plants. Sharon
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