Lifestyle

Discover where New Yorkers are crafting their own floral bouquets

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Social Links for Joanna Prisco
Published July 11, 2014, 7:52 p.m. ET
Sofia Valanci is into nature, so she’s happy to learn floral arranging techniques, along with her mom, Rocio Penagos (far left), and aunt, Marisol Penagos, at FlowerSchool New York on 14th Street.
Sofia Valanci is into nature, so she’s happy to learn floral arranging techniques, along with her mom, Rocio Penagos (far left), and aunt, Marisol Penagos, at FlowerSchool New York on 14th Street. Zandy Mangold

Standing around the wooden countertop, knives in hand while staring at recipes scrawled in chalk on a nearby blackboard, the group of aproned women gathered on a recent afternoon might have easily been mistaken for a cooking class. But instead of hairnets, two had anchored their ponytails with bulging hydrangea, and instead of spices, their ingredient list included pink stock, geraniums and peonies.

A student at a recent Poppies & Posies floral design class fills in her arrangement after placing her focal blooms.

That’s because the hippest instruction du jour for New York City creative types is no longer baking — but floral design, the art of arranging blooms, foliage and branches to craft nosegays, centerpieces and crowns.

“We get everything from girlfriends heading out to dinner, young fans from afar who planned to get a class into their must-do itinerary, magazine editors, ladies and their moms,” says Denise Porcaro, owner of Flower Girl NYC, a floral studio that hosts monthly design workshops on the Lower East Side.

“The interest in flower arranging classes has been quite dramatic,” says Eileen Johnson, creative director of FlowerSchool New York, which has seen a 30 percent per year increase in the number of students in the past five years. “In fact,” she says, “we outgrew our former space.”

“The DIY aspect has become important to lots of people,” explains Porcaro, “and with flowers it is truly an expression of the season and the self.”

Sierra Steifman, 30, creative director and owner at Poppies & Posies Design Co. in Greenpoint, also credits social media with the revived buzz around making bouquets.

“Many new online resources such as Pinterest, wedding blogs and lifestyle blogs have helped to catapult floral design into the mainstream,” she says. “I think it gives women in a rigid, more corporate world a creative outlet, which is a great thing.”

Women learn the fine art of floral design at FlowerSchool New York. Just call them petal heads.Zandy Mangold

Sometimes seeing a striking spray in person is enough to pique curiosity.

Excited by the “loose, garden-inspired style” of the arrangements that Poppies & Posies created for her wedding, Diana Martinez, 34, says she “couldn’t imagine never having that kind of beauty around every once in a while.”

So Martinez, who teaches architectural design, history and theory, began following the studio’s blog. When they posted about an upcoming workshop, she hopped the first train from Hell’s Kitchen over to Brooklyn.

“The class was very laid-back, Champagne was served, it wasn’t formal at all,” she says. “Everyone was in a lovely mood, and was just excited to be in a room full of gorgeous flowers.”

Since then, she has been turning her newfound knowledge into gifts for friends.

“I’ve been able to make bouquets for a friend’s civil ceremony and for a couple of very special birthdays,” Martinez says. “I love that I can really do anything I want, and my friends appreciate it so much more because of the thought and effort I’ve put into it.” For Joan Muss, 62, taking a floral design class was the next logical step after years of ogling centerpieces and trying to re-create them for her various social causes.

“Not all roses have a scent — mainly garden roses, which are more expensive.” — Beth Horta, FlowerSchool New York design director Zandy Mangold

“It’s a hobby and I wanted to learn how to use a knife and do the basic things,” she says of signing up for a four-hour introductory series at FlowerSchool New York. “I like to create arrangements for the Jewish National Fund and for dinners I get invited to. My girlfriend is expecting me to bring some tonight, actually. So I told her she was getting what I made at class!”

The cost of enrollment at workshops around the city can range from $125 to $1,100, depending upon location, length of time and the size of the class. Patience and practice are key to creating the shape you want, say instructors. But the desired result doesn’t always come naturally by the end of the lesson.

Sofia Valanci, 25, a Parsons School of Design student and an intern at Michael Kors, also recently attended FlowerSchool New York along with her mother and aunt, who were visiting from Chiapas, Mexico.

“I wouldn’t say it’s easy! I was surprised by all of the techniques and the procedures,” says Valanci, who dressed for the occasion in a fashionable pair of denim coveralls and a summery pink tee. “But we love flowers, we’re so into nature. So it’s still very fun.”

5 easy steps to crafting your own bouquet

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“Peonies are obviously a more expensive flower, but they are so showy and they never disappoint,” says Meredith Waga Perez (above right), co-owner of Belle Fleur New York. “They start off as teeny golf balls and then unfurl into these big, frothy flowers. The garden roses echo the romantic, ethereal quality of the peonies. So they pair nicely together.”Zandy Mangold
1. Select your flowers. Working with a monochromatic pallete will always be much easier than trying to incorporate a rainbow of colors.
1. Select your flowers. Working with a monochromatic pallete will always be much easier than trying to incorporate a rainbow of colors.Zandy Mangold
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2. Trim the stems of all foliage and thorns. Cut the stem on an angle to ensure hydration and so that they are all at the same desired length.
2. Trim the stems of all foliage and thorns. Cut the stem on an angle to ensure hydration and so that they are all at the same desired length.Zandy Mangold
3. Place peonies inside the vase first because they are the focal flower, then continue to layer with the garden roses around them.
3. Place peonies inside the vase first because they are the focal flower, then continue to layer with the garden roses around them.Zandy Mangold
4. Once you are finished arranging, remove the bouquet and hand tie it so the flowers won’t shift. Return flowers to the vase.
4. Once you are finished arranging, remove the bouquet and hand tie it so the flowers won’t shift. Return flowers to the vase.Zandy Mangold
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5. Tip: A silver julep cup as a vessel is not only classic and romantic, but will also help hide messy stems if you’re making it at home.
5. Tip: A silver julep cup as a vessel is not only classic and romantic, but will also help hide messy stems if you’re making it at home.Zandy Mangold
Cut Calla Lillies for Minimal Fuss: “Calla lillies come from Holland and will last up to two weeks, so you really get a long life out of them,” says Meredith Waga Perez, co-owner of Belle Fleur New York (134 Fifth Ave.), a floral and event design studio. “They are also very easy to design with, because there is no stripping of foliage, thorns or leaves.” ($200 at Belle Fleur)
Cut Calla Lillies for Minimal Fuss: “Calla lillies come from Holland and will last up to two weeks, so you really get a long life out of them,” says Meredith Waga Perez, co-owner of Belle Fleur New York (134 Fifth Ave.), a floral and event design studio. “They are also very easy to design with, because there is no stripping of foliage, thorns or leaves.” ($200 at Belle Fleur)Zandy Mangold
Try the Farmers’ Market for Seasonal Stems: “Everything [above] is local, they’re summer varieties and purchased from a farmers’ market,” says Waga Perez. “We have yellow tree peonies, button ranunculus, tangerine garden roses and then for foliage there’s umbrella fern, fuzzy bunny tails and a very textured geranium leaf. Although it feels complex, it’s actually quite simple.” ($175)
Try the Farmers’ Market for Seasonal Stems: “Everything [above] is local, they’re summer varieties and purchased from a farmers’ market,” says Waga Perez. “We have yellow tree peonies, button ranunculus, tangerine garden roses and then for foliage there’s umbrella fern, fuzzy bunny tails and a very textured geranium leaf. Although it feels complex, it’s actually quite simple.” ($175)Zandy Mangold
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Splurge for Timely Events: “Hydrangeas are a tricky flower, because although they look hearty they are very dependent on cool environments and air conditioning, and garden roses are always more expensive, as are sweet peas,” says Waga Perez. “This arrangement would retail for $175 at our shop, but you also wouldn’t necessarily be able to find any of the flowers at the local bodega. So it’s a little more special.”
Splurge for Timely Events: “Hydrangeas are a tricky flower, because although they look hearty they are very dependent on cool environments and air conditioning, and garden roses are always more expensive, as are sweet peas,” says Waga Perez. “This arrangement would retail for $175 at our shop, but you also wouldn’t necessarily be able to find any of the flowers at the local bodega. So it’s a little more special.”Zandy Mangold
Go in the Backyard for Unexpected Blooms: “This is an arrangement entirely made from hosta leaf,” says Waga Perez. “It’s readily available, grows almost like a weed and it has a very fresh feel in a refined way. It doesn’t take a lot of money or effort to work with something so accessible — even kids can go pick them. Plus, they will last for weeks.” ($85)
Go in the Backyard for Unexpected Blooms: “This is an arrangement entirely made from hosta leaf,” says Waga Perez. “It’s readily available, grows almost like a weed and it has a very fresh feel in a refined way. It doesn’t take a lot of money or effort to work with something so accessible — even kids can go pick them. Plus, they will last for weeks.” ($85)Zandy Mangold
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A bouquet of upcoming classes

Where: Belle Fleur, 134 Fifth Ave.; 212-254-8703
When: Private classes available by request; $600-plus
Focus: Handson instruction to learn about various blooms, with introductions to simple design and easy techniques for at-home use. Refreshments and petit fours are included.

Where: Flower Girl NYC, 245 Eldridge St.; 212-777-0050
When: Classes are the second Tuesday of every month, with changing seasonal themes. Next workshop is set for Aug. 12; $185.
Focus: Wildflowers

Roses at the FlowerSchool.Zandy Mangold

Where: Little Flower School, locations change
When: Workshops are held seasonally; e-mail to inquire
Focus: Specific flowers and design concepts vary, but arrangements evoke a lush, romantic, garden-inspired aesthetic.

Where: Poppies & Posies, 29 Ash St., Suite 106, Brooklyn
When: Next workshop is set for Oct. 5; $500.
Focus: Low, lush arrangements using seasonal fall blooms, foliage and fruits. Includes all flowers, footed urn, clippers, snacks and Champagne.

Where: FlowerSchool New York, 213 W. 14th St.; 212-661-8074
When: July 14 and 15, four two-hour sessions; $1,100
Focus: Charles Masson, former manager of La Grenouille and author of “The Flowers of La Grenouille,” leads a workshop of classes including an introduction to design, cleaning and conditioning flowers, selecting the proper vase and preparing a proper Dutch bouquet.