It had to be a flower farm…
When we were developing the concept of the School, one key element was obvious - it had to be on a flower farm. Reconnecting florists to their medium is one of the School of Sustainable Floristry’s core objectives. By teaching all our courses on a flower farm our students can understand their flowers, how they are grown, how they are cut, what makes a good cut flower, and how to get the most out of them in their arrangements.
Howbury Farm Flowers, located on the outskirts of Bedford, is the most perfect of locations. An extensive flower farm, set within a Victorian walled garden, students not only have access to the flowers grown there, but also the ingredients from the kitchen garden, the wider estate, and the large country house itself for larger installations and arranging.
The Walled Garden
All the flowers used in our courses are grown within the 19th century Walled Garden at Howbury Farm Flowers. Flowers have been grown here for over 200 years, and Lucy and her team take the stewardship of the garden, its soil and biodiversity very seriously. All the flowers are grown using organic practices and are, of course, peat free.
Students spend time in the Walled Garden on all our courses, understanding how the flowers are grown, the all important when and how to cut, and selecting materials to use in their arrangements.
The Kitchen Garden
Alongside the Walled Garden sits the Kitchen Garden. Between the rows of pleached heritage apple and peach trees, fruit and vegetables (and our beloved marigolds) are grown to feed both the main house, the many houses on the Estate and all our students.
Seasonality and provenance run through every aspect of the School, including the food, with all meals prepared with ingredients grown in the Kitchen Garden.
The Kitchen Garden is also often raided for our floral arrangements, from fruiting branches, to artichokes to tomatoes on the vine. All ingredients are explored and embraced.
The Flower Barn
Courses are predominantly taught in the studio workshop inside the beautiful old coach house. Originally a stable house, it has been repurposed into a teaching space, and benefits from an almost painterly light - perfect for capturing photos of students’ work.
Classes are kept to a maximum of 10, to ensure that everyone receives a sufficient level of attention and learning. When larger arrangements and installations are created, the group moves outside or into the House depending on the design.
The House & Estate
Rebuilt in the 19th century after the original house was burnt down when smoking out bees, Howbury Hall offers the perfect backdrop to our courses. With a wide sweeping staircase, large fireplaces, huge windows and the dramatic entrance, there are numerous options for teaching the design and mechanics of floral installations.
The Estate is set across 500 acres and offers numerous hedgerows and trees, as well as the formal gardens, for foraging beyond the Walled Garden.