Local Florists On Keeping Flowers Fresh & Choosing The Best Bouquet

Discover the secrets to flower bombing your interior from these experts, who work with beautiful arrangements all day long.

The value of experience simply can’t be overstated. Those who are willing to take their time to learn and gradually soak up skills are the ones who grow and thrive.

These floral creatives have a wealth of knowledge acquired over many years in the industry – they know a thing or two about how to turn petals into artful arrangements.

“There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing the joy flowers bring to others,” says Brook Thomson of Brooklyn Flowers.

If you’d like to discover some secrets to arranging – and maintaining – beautiful blooms, here’s some inspiration from the pros.

Melanie Stapleton

Founder of floral design studio, Cecilia Fox

After 20 years in Melbourne running her floral studio Cecilia Fox, Melanie Stepleton came home to New Zealand.

“It’s great being close to the natural environment and being able to enjoy a slower pace of life,” says Melanie, who settled in Torbay, Auckland, in 2021 with her husband and two sons, aged 10 and 12.

Sustainability is a cornerstone of Cecilia Fox, and she’s an advocate for it within the floristry industry, advising the Sustainable Floristry Network – an international and independent organisation that focuses on promoting sustainable practices.

“I have always been committed to a more sustainable flowering world, and it’s a real joy to see our industry working towards these goals.”

When she’s not working her floristry magic for special events, Melanie has been writing a book: “This has been hugely challenging and really exciting. It’s a flower book about beauty, circularity, imperfection and much more. Look out for it on shelves next March!”

Your specialty?

I love special occasions, events, weddings and brand collaborations. I really thrive making large-scale work, it can be physical, and you can really throw your whole body into the work. Equally, I love making really small things as well, arrangements that make you stop to take a closer look. I think where I find the most fulfilment is bringing clients’ ideas and dreams to life, interpreting their vision and putting my spin on it. Working towards more sustainable floristry is an integral part of my practice. I believe that we should always be striving for zero waste, and we should support local and seasonal. Any waste becomes a resource and can be composted or re-used.

Any advice?

Whether it’s a tiny vase of violets picked from the side of the road or seasonal blooms from your local florist, take a quiet moment to arrange them, to really notice all the nuances. The texture, the colour, the smells. Not just of the flower but of the stems and the foliage. Take the time to slow down and notice the minutiae of everyday things and find the beauty in that. Flowers are not supposed to last, that’s where the magic lies. There is something lovely watching the cycle of a flower, from bud to bloom and towards death. That sounds macabre but I think witnessing the flower through these cycles is transformative.

Any Dos and Don’ts?

Brook Thomson (aka The Flower Man)

Founder of Brooklyn Flowers

Working with flowers is in Brook Thomson’s DNA: “I was born into the flower industry. My mum was a florist and I’ve been involved in growing and helping with flower production from a young age on my grandparents’ flower farm,” he explains.

At 35, he’s clocked up nearly 19 years of hands-on experience in the industry. In addition to his busy store, Brooklyn Flowers in Ponsonby, Brook has taken over running the family flower-growing operation, located in Waiuku, South Auckland, in the past year. “I knew this was the path I wanted to pursue,” he says.

With a family background deeply rooted in floristry and design, it felt like a natural progression.

“Over the years, I’ve gained experience here and in Dubai, all of which shaped my vision,” he adds. “For me, one of the most pivotal chapters was the time I spent working in Dubai, where I helped design and manage luxury weddings and large-scale events for high-profile clients.”

Brook also spent seven years running the Auckland branch of United Flower Growers.

“That role gave me deep insight into the commercial side of floriculture, from auctioning growers’ flowers to supplying florists across the country. It also connected me with so many people across the industry.”

In 2017, while in France with his wife Evelyn Kelly, he had a lightbulb moment, coming up with the concept for Brooklyn Flowers. During six months of travel throughout Europe, the idea was further refined, evolving into a fully established business plan.

“When we returned to New Zealand, everything fell into place. We secured our shop in Ponsonby and opened Brooklyn Flowers in April 2018. We worked seven days a week back then, building it up.”

In the early days, the couple both had hands-on roles. Now, Brook has taken the helm and Evelyn is doing her own thing, working as a life coach. While weddings and events played a major role at the beginning, Brook has gradually shifted focus towards retail and online orders.

“Whether it’s designing an everyday bouquet or cultivating a new crop, my passion remains the same – at the heart of it is working with flowers and sharing their beauty with people.”

Describe your style?

It’s all about delivering a product that feels special, elegant, and memorable from the moment it arrives.

Your specialty?

Designing seasonal flowers into modern bouquets with a refined, boutique feel. Every bouquet is crafted with care, and thoughtful design to create something that feels both current and timeless; it’s this blend of seasonality and style that defines the Brooklyn Flowers signature.

Isabel Johnston and Lydia Reusser

Founders of floral design studio Isadia

From a studio in a heritage brick building at the base of Mt Eden, Auckland, design duo Isabel Johnston and Lydia Reusser assemble their distinctive naturalistic and tonal creations.

“We are very much drawn to the idea of floristry as an art form, the abstract and nuanced shape and colour palette that individual flowers offer and how we combine them to create an overall arrangement,” says Lydia.

The pair, who have been working together since 2020, have a thriving partnership.

“It’s given us the capacity to lean on one another,” says Isabel. “Creative burnout is very real, and having the ability to step back and focus on admin while the other leads a creative project has been invaluable. I honestly don’t believe we could have grown Isadia the way we have if it were a one-person operation. Over the past year, I’ve felt especially grateful for that support – I’ve just returned from maternity leave after having my first child, and having a business partner who understands and can hold things together when you need space is such a rare and precious thing in this industry.”

Isabel

What did you do before Isadia?

My early 20s were a bit directionless. I always knew I wanted to do something creative, but I didn’t have the confidence or focus to stick with any kind of formal study. I worked in hospitality, moved to Melbourne, then did a stint in Berlin, where I basically just partied for nine months before making my way back to New Zealand.

Eventually, I decided to give floristry a proper go. I did a six-month course at MIT – it gave me enough of a footing to land a job in a small floristry shop. From there, I joined Rose Tinted Flowers, where I immersed myself in weddings and event work. Rosie, the original owner, was wonderful in giving me room to find my style. After a while, I went out on my own, picking up small jobs and slowly getting a taste of the broader floristry scene.

I’ve been in the floristry world for 10 years now, and if you’d told me back then that one day I’d be running a small business that supports three women fulltime, I wouldn’t have believed you. It’s easily one of my proudest achievements. Before starting Isadia, I ran a little business of my own called The Forager. I dabbled in small events and weddings, and it was there in my backyard shed that I made what I’d now call the prototype for the Isadia bouquet.

Do you and Lydia share a floral design aesthetic?

I was always quietly inspired by Lydia; her considered, gentle way with flowers was such a contrast to my own more chaotic, instinctive style. So when she approached me about starting a business together, I was genuinely excited. By that point, I was feeling a little jaded with floristry. I’d worked on big events that felt wasteful and soulless, so I’d stepped away and completed a diploma in landscape design, which I loved. Interestingly, Lydia had done the same course at Unitec. I think that shared foundation is part of what makes Isadia work so well – a deep appreciation not just for flowers, but for plants, seasons, and landscapes. From the beginning, we agreed that we wanted to work with more compassion for the materials we use, valuing detail and thoughtfulness over sheer scale.

Lydia

As a floral creative, what are the advantages of working with another floral creative?

One of the main advantages is that there’s always one of us in a creative flow, so if one of us feels that the work isn’t going well, or coming naturally, the other can step in. This helps take the pressure off us as individual creatives, and the studio always has a consistent standard of work that we are happy with. It’s always great to have a second opinion and perspective to sound ideas with, as well as someone to share the early market mornings with!

How did you meet Isabel?

After the first Covid lockdown, I could see the need to expand from just doing event-based work (which at the time was very affected by lockdowns), so I approached Isabel to see if she would like to collaborate with me on a business with a focus on the naturalistic style of floristry, which we’re both drawn to.

Describe your naturalistic approach.

We are driven by the season and shape of the flowers. The design process is very intuitive in terms of following the form of branches and flowers available to us on the day. Because we work in multiple areas of floristry – shop bouquets, events, weddings and flowers for (domestic and commercial) interiors, if the colour or feature of one variety doesn’t work for an event or wedding, we can usually use it elsewhere.

What’s your number one tip for a successful arrangement?

Call us and we can do it for you! But seriously, keep it simple – just one or two seasonal varieties cut at different heights per vase, or even highlight a single stem such as an orchid.

Any Dos and Don’ts?

Don’t leave flowers sitting in the sunshine.

Felicity Jones

Urban flower grower and botanical artist

“An appreciation and respect for nature is at the heart of all my work,” says floral creative Felicity Jones.

Coming to floral design from an organic gardening background, Felicity is a strong advocate for sustainability. She celebrates the imperfections of flora, allowing the natural form to shape her intuitive designs. “Creating a mood is at the crux of what I do, whether it’s something dramatic and a bit dark, or an edgy piece featuring dead and dying flowers. All the botanical material I use is seasonal,” she adds. “I prefer a wonky stem and don’t mind a bug-chewed leaf. When I see a pristine-perfect bunch of roses, I can’t help but see chemicals.”

A talented musician, Felicity originally cultivated her love of music, underpinning it with nursing.

“I lived in London for 12 years, combining singing, songwriting, nursing and catering. It was here that I had my first garden.”

Back in New Zealand, she cultivated her passion for gardening in the backyard of her villa in Grey Lynn, Auckland.

“Floristry followed, almost by accident, from a desire to grow flowers for my own home and friends and family. This gradually grew into what I do today, everything from events, weddings, personal bunches, house flowers, exhibitions and film sets.”

How has your organic gardening background influenced your floral work?

I was shocked when I discovered how unsustainable the commercial floristry world is. The chemicals involved in growing, transporting, and sustaining vase life are huge, and for me, take away the joyful act of creating beauty with nature. I always use local, seasonal ingredients (I never use imported flowers) and I’m always striving for zero waste, which means recycling, reusable mechanics, composting, and obviously, no floral foam.

This approach is often more labour-intensive and comes with a cost, ideally shared between the florist and client. In my experience, people are happy to pay slightly more for this, when I explain it to them.

Describe your style?

I do love creating with wild abandon, big arrangements that are loose, with lots of movement. But I equally love making small, minimal, quite studied arrangements. I love using unexpected ingredients – sometimes there isn’t a flower in sight.

Your specialty?

Telling a story, creating a mood. I really like site-specific design, from house flowers to set designs.

What’s it like working on film sets?

I really enjoy the research and creativity that come with set designs for films and commercials. The experience of working on the TV adaptation of The Luminaries was especially satisfying as it linked with an ongoing personal art project exploring Aotearoa’s botanical history. What began as a collaborative project between photographer Mark Smith and I, has developed into a book called Case Studies, about ecological colonialism. It’s a beautiful book for all who love plants and their stories, due out in October.

Any tips for creating a beautiful arrangement?

Look around you, there’s beauty in more than just flowers. I like to add all sorts of botanical material to my work, from branches to grasses and seed heads.

Career highlight?

The best part of this creative profession (apart from working with nature) is all the amazing people I get to meet, learn from, and work with. I have made wonderful friendships with growers and creatives all over the world. I recently spent two summers in England helping out on flower farms, and freelancing with some of my favourite florists – a dream come true.

DIY flower arranging, by Brook Thomson of Brooklyn Flowers

It’s all about working with fresh, seasonal blooms and following a few key steps to get the most out of your flowers, says Brook Thomson of Brooklyn Flowers. Here’s what he recommends:

Start with fresh, seasonal blooms. Choose quality, in-season flowers, ideally locally grown, for the best vase life and visual impact.

Prep your stems properly:

- Strip any leaves below the water line

- Re-cut stems at a 45-degree angle for better water absorption

- Use clean, cool water.

Choose the right vase. Select a vase that complements the shape and size of your stems. Taller flowers like lilies or gladiolus need height and support, while shorter blooms like tulips or snapdragons suit rounded or squat vases.

Build with structure. Start with greenery to create a base shape, then add focal flowers like lilies or roses. Finish with filler blooms like hydrangeas and other large flowers to add depth and texture.

Vary heights and angles. Avoid making your arrangement too symmetrical – allowing for natural variation in height and angle gives it movement and a more organic look.

Refresh regularly. Change the water every 2–3 days, re-trim stems, and remove any fading blooms to keep things looking fresh and vibrant.

Enjoy the process. There’s no right or wrong when it comes to arranging flowers. Let your creativity lead and have fun with it.

More home truths

From homeware to expert advice.

Tray Chic! These Charming Platters & Plates Are The Ultimate In Summer Entertaining. Beautiful trays and platter to elegantly balance everything from cocktails to a collection of amuse-bouches.

10 Chic Wine & Cocktail Glasses Perfect For A Toast. Seeking a refresh for your occasion wares? These wine glasses are available to buy right now.

Vintage Maximalism & The Return Of Valance. Rooted in nostalgia, bedrooms are going back to the 1980s.

Interior Designer Tricks For Creating Showers As Luxurious As A Bathtub. Here’s how to make your morning shower more luxurious.