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7 Creative Australian Florists You Need To Know About!

In recent years, flowers have been elevated from simple gifts and romantic gestures into a sculptural art form. This is thanks in large part to the work of some very talented florists and floral designers who are bringing their own creative flair to the enduring industry.

Whether you’re looking for an experimental bouquet to gift a friend, a spectacular installation for your next event or just to brighten up your own day, here are seven of our favourite local florists you need to know about!

Written

Christina Karras

An incredible floral install by Kiko Design. Photo – Courtesy of Kiko Design

Kowsh’s florals are always in full bloom! Photo – Justin Aaron

Kowsh’s creations for Kiko Designs are often distinctive by their lack of foliage – allowing the flowers to take centre stage. Photo – Courtesy of Kiko Design

Kiko Design

Kowsh Rawson’s 10 years in floristry is evident in her abundant floral installations, overflowing with bold colour and confident scale.

Her designs are distinctive, with blooming flowers taking centre stage, petals blown out for max effect. Whilst foliage makes an appearane in her work every so often, Kowsh’s sculptural creations focus mainly on layering the season’s best flowers – with dramatic effect.

What they offer: Bouquets, installations, styling and consulting.

Where to shop: Contact Kowsh at Kiko Design’s website, or email team@kikodesign.com.au.

An Alchemy Orange custom installation. Photo – Courtesy of Alchemy Orange

An Alchemy Orange custom for ‘This World Is Our…‘ exhibition by Felix Aitkinson. Photo – Courtesy of Alchemy Orange

An arrangement by Alchemy Orange for ‘My Life’ by Maggie Green in the TDF Collect gallery. Photo – Amelia Stanwix

Alchemy Orange

Alchemy Orange is an Aboriginal-owned and operated botanical design studio run by proud Yorta Yorta woman Shahn Stewart, whose custom botanical sculptures, floral arrangements, and activations feature incredible natives. You might recognise her past work from Strawberry Fields Festivals, the Australian Open 2022 – and even in The Design Files gallery in 2021!

Shahn’s been a florist for 12 years, but says the best part of her work is that you ‘never run out of new things to learn’, and is always expanding her wealth of botanical knowledge and creative horizons!

They offer: Custom designs that elevate events and spaces, including homes, galleries, performances, set design and more.

Where to shop: Contact Alchemy Orange via enquiries@alchemyorange.com.au for a custom design

Alyssa Trenerry’s arrangements are characterised by form and colour. Photo – Courtesy of Sour Sunflower

And not just limited to flowers and foliage! Fruit will sometimes make an appreance too. Photo – Courtesy of Sour Sunflower

Alyssa shows how unusual floral combinations can work in harmony. Photo – Benn Wood

Sour Sunflower

Alyssa Trenerry is behind Sour Sunflower’s sculptural and colourful creations that beautifully play with textures and shapes in order to hero unique, seasonal flowers. Alyssa says her high-impact arrangements are guided the way the flowers make her ‘feel’ – which is maybe why they bring a smile to our face too!

The emerging Melbourne florist fell in love with floral design after working in a café and seeing florists come in every week to change the flower arrangements. She says she’d explored nearly every creative medium ‘under the sun’, and after realising flowers could be that medium, she’s never looked back.

They offer: Flowers for weddings, events and special occasions, in addition to floral styling for photoshoots and editorial work.

Where to shop: Contact Sour Sunflower to make a enquiry online here

Gina Lasker has mastered both classic arrangements and contemporary floral styling. Photo – Dan Roberts

Gina is not afraid to play with scale. Photo – Dan Roberts

Georgie Boy

Georgie Boy’s Gina Lasker has been firm favourite in Melbourne’s creative floristry scene for a while now, but she’s been in the industry ever since she took a job at her local flower shop right after high school. Since being introduced to the art of conceptual flower design by mentors like Saskia Havekes of Grandiflora, she’s made a name for herself with her intuitive and vibrant floral offerings.

In addition to delivering bunches around Melbourne, you can now shop a collection of special homewares curated by Gina in her new online shop, Georgie Boy Store!

They offer: Styling for events is on pause (while Gina welcomes a baby!) but you can still order flowers for pick up or delivery online.

Where to shop: Online here

The team behind Flowers Vasette are experts in highlighting the beauty in each stem, as well as the arrangement as a whole. Photo – Courtesy of Flowers Vasette

They work with what the season has to offer. Photo – Courtesy of Flowers Vasette

Flowers Vasette

Flowers Vasette has been a trusted Melbourne icon for so many years – and for good reason! The Fitzroy flower shop has been in business since 1989, when founder Cherrie Miriklis-Pavlou began her floristry career from the steps of her parents’ greengrocer.

Known for their elegant and perfectly styled bouquets that are inspired by each week’s seasonal offerings, they’re experts at highlighting the beauty of each individual stem as much as the arrangement as a whole. And their Brunswick Street store is always brimming with stunning cut flowers, with a knowledgable team who can help you create a personalised bouquet for your loved ones.

They offer: Floral styling and custom design for weddings, funerals and bereavement, private and corporate events, corporate flowers, gifting and floral arrangements for home.

Where to shop: Visit them in store at 247 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, or online here

Madeleine Vizard’s work with flowers turns them into sculptural, surrealist art. Photo – Pier Carthew

In line with her otherworldly style, some of her early arrangements were inspired by reoccuring dreams! Photo – Pier Carthew

Photo – Courtesy Hellian Petal

The floral artist takes a cinematic approach to floristry. Photo – Courtesy Hellian Petal

Hellian Petal

Melbourne-based creative Madeleine Vizard has been making surrealist and experimental floral art for about two years under her passion project Hellian Petal. She started taking photos of her arrangements during lockdown in 2021, which were often inspired by vivid recurring dreams!

Drawing inspiration from the natural world in addition to music, books and fashion, her focus ranges from IRL installations to immortalising her boundary-pushing designs in photographs.

They offer: Floral styling, installations, and arrangements,

Where to shop: Contact Hellian Petal through Instagram or email madeleine@hellianpetal.com

Saskia Havekes has been creating beautiful floral arrangements for 27 years. Photo – Courtesy of Grandiflora

She was mentored by leading botanical sculptor, Alison Coates. Photo – Courtesy of Grandiflora

Grandiflora are known for their incredible window displays. Photo – Courtesy of Grandiflora

Grandiflora

Saskia Havekes has been providing Sydney-siders with beautiful floral inspiration for 27 years.

From Grandiflora’s opening in Potts Point in 1995, Saskia’s eye-catching and abundant window displays have delighted and intrigued passers-by. A talent she learnt from the pioneer and leading artist in the field of botanical sculpture, Alison Coates. Still in her Potts Point location, Saskia has grown Grandiflora to achieve international recognition and developed six bespoke fragrances. A visit to her store always promises to be a full sensory experience!

What they offer: Stunning bouquets delivered across Sydney, fragrance and grand onsite installations.

Where to shop: Visit them in store at 1/12 Macleay Street Potts Point NSW, or online here