Three ways to bring flowers home this weekend!

This Valentine's day you you have so many options!

If you're in Red Hook this weekend Saipua has teamed up with HomeMade for an amazing deal that includes flowers AND truffles. Um, yes please.

If you find yourself in Williamsburg this Sunday I'll be basking in the 39 degree weather & making made to order bouquets from noon-5pm on north 6th St. & Bedford Ave.

Come by and say hello!

We have one last spot in this Saturday's Ranunculus class!

Who would like to get your hands on these beauties?

Ranunculus are looking insanely beautiful this time of year! Me and my camera got lost in the layers of petals this morning...

NEW CLASSES WITH the NYBG!

How exciting to have the illustrious New York Botanical Garden ask us to teach classes with them! Like an invitation to lunch with the Queen! We couldn't be more excited to share this with you...

FROM GARDEN TO VASE- Summer edition

Saturday, June 4th

10:00am-3:30pm

In this intensive one day workshop we'll start with a tour of the gardens led by the garden curators of the NYBG! After the tour we'll break for lunch then head inside for a few hours of floral arranging. Taking inspiration from our magnificent surroundings we'll make lush, wild arrangements that evoke the nuances of the cutting garden. We'll be using peonies, lambs ear, columbine, bearded iris, alliums, clematis, scabiosa, herbs, young blueberry, astilbe, dogwood as well as some very special cuttings from the grounds of the garden!

FROM GARDEN TO VASE- Autumn edition

Sunday, September 11th

10:00am-3:30pm

In this intensive one day workshop we'll start with a tour of the gardens led by the garden curators of the NYBG! After the tour we'll break for lunch then head inside for a few hours of floral arranging. Taking inspiration from the Autumn garden we'll make abundant arrangements that evoke the hues & textures of the season. We'll be using dahlias, pear, amaranth, garden roses, celosia, hydrangea, privet, zinnias, porcelain vine, coleus as well as some very special cuttings from the grounds of the garden!

FRAGRANT FLOWERS

Wednesday, May 18th

6:00pm-9:00pm

This will be an evening class held at the midtown NYBG studio. We'll focus on the delicate fragrant flowers & foliage of spring. We'll be using lilac, lily of the valley, sweet pea, hyacinth, peonies, jasmine, garden roses, muscari, rose geranium and more to create romantic arrangements layered with the textures & scents of Spring.

FOR MORE INFO AND REGISTRATION CLICK HERE!

*Please note: Registration for these 3 classes is through the NYBG website.

*Flower School gift certificates do not apply to classes held at the NYBG.

WHITE OUT

The view from my kitchen window this morning...

On such a snowy day what could be better than some photos from our anemone class? Each arrangement is so lovely...

One spot has opened up in our Ranunculus class. Anyone want to take the last spot? Email us!

prepping for succulent/begonia class

Nicolette and I like to joke that we are professional shoppers. Sort of true, when you consider how much time we spend sourcing and hunting down prime material for our studios and classes. Yesterday we drove out to Peace Tree Farm to visit Lloyd, Candy and Stephanie and their beautiful nursery. We scored a few good trays of succulent plugs, a beautiful Phlebodium aureum fern(silvery blue!), and some begonias. Lloyd was on the Martha Stewart Show recently to talk about his amazing heirloom begonia varieties, and I'm convinced that's why his hot house was rather decimated! Begonias gone VIRAL! Still - we were able to pull a few great plants for cutting, and most importantly we got some good leads from Lloyd on sourcing hellebores and auriculas (hot on the trail and getting closer) for the spring...

Wild Winter

Wild Winter Waning
Sunday, February 27th

1:00-4:00pm

$250

By late February we usually have the soft winter palette figured out. We'll share the secrets of combining a host of flowering branches and blooms in tonal ivories, creams, butter and blush to create an intricate, wild and lush winter bouquet. A white-hot arrangement to melt the ice? Perhaps...

The class will take place in the Saipua studio at 147 Van Dyke Street in Red Hook, Brooklyn.

***

All classes are limited to 10 students, unless otherwise noted.

Clippers will be provided and are a gift to take with you.

Of course, class will finish with a refreshments.

Payments accepted through paypal.

To sign up or ask questions email us at hello.flower.school@gmail.com

Amaryllis Class

BEHOLD THE MIGHTY AMARYLLIS

Sunday, February 20th

1:00-4:00pm

$250

Amaryllis are a winter staple in our repitoir; along side anemones, ranunculus, sweet peas, etc. Grown as a potted bulb flower, these dramatic beauties help us to create large lush arrangements in a season that offers lots of small sized fleurs. For this class, we'll build a centerpiece in a footed urn with a flower frog, and discuss the importance of size and shape of blooms when building an arrangement.

The class will take place in the Saipua studio at 147 Van Dyke Street in Red Hook, Brooklyn.

***

All classes are limited to 10 students, unless otherwise noted.

Clippers will be provided and are a gift to take with you.

Of course, class will finish with a refreshments.

Payments accepted through paypal.

To sign up or ask questions email us at hello.flower.school@gmail.com

orchids arrive for Sunday's class

A box arrived at the studio from Barbara and Terry at Pine Ridge Orchids yesterday - a package worth its weight in gold. Inside were 40 stems of the most unusual phalaenopsis orchids grown in Miami-Dade county on a farm dedicated to preserving a small slice of the remaining everglade pine rocklands.
I almost died. Then I got my camera out.
Sundays class has some very very lucky students...

From the Ranunculus class

Back in early November we had a lovely little Ranunculus class. We were knee deep in anemones, ranunculus, astilbe, wegelia, privit, tulips, pistachio, roses, wild rose hips. . .

We'd like to say a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who signed up for our California classes. We're so excited to come out west!

=====>>>AND don't worry New Yorkers & Brooklynites- we haven't forgotten about you! We're cooking up a new schedule that will be posted very soon!

Little Flower School Travels West this March!
Nicolette and I will be making a pilgrimage to sunny California in heated pursuit of the most beautiful ranunculus, poppies, heirloom roses, and hellebores. Along the way they’re stopping off to teach a few classes…

***

LOS ANGELES hosted by Jamie and Jen of Ban.do studio CLASSES ARE FULL
TWO DATES: Tuesday March 8 or Wednesday March 9
6-9pm at the Ban.do studio; 7958 Beverly Boulevard Los Angeles, CA
$250

Inspired by the color and sparkle in the Ban.do studio, we’re going to haul in loads of the brightest most beautiful blooms to teach our signature Flower Arranging 101 class. Students will learn about flower preparation, basic color theory and the process of selecting flowers and making an arrangement. Each of the two classes will have 15+ varieties of flowers to learn about and work with. It only makes sense that we finish class with a little add-on: how to make a fresh flower hairpiece!
As ever, the class includes a pair of clippers of your own, refreshments and very special treats provided by BAKELAB.

***

BERKELEY hosted by Heidi Swanson & June Taylor - THIS CLASS IS FULL
Sunday March 13, 2011
Noon-3pm at The Still Room 2207 4th Street Berkeley, CA
$250

This part of California is the promise land of fruit, food and flowers and we’re over the moon to collaborate with 101Cookbooks author Heidi Swanson and marmalade-maven June Taylor. We’ll most likely overload this class with flowers from the San Francisco flower market – the best in the country! Expect an intimate lesson on the basic how-to’s of flower prep and arranging, tips about cutting from your garden, and hands on experience making a sprawling lush centerpiece. The class will commence with a light lunch and students will each depart with their floral masterpiece, clippers, a goodie bag from June and a signed copy of Heidi’s new book: Super Natural Every Day

EACH CLASS LIMITED TO 10 STUDENTS
TO REGISTER: Email hello.flower.school@gmail.com (and please be sure to specify which of the three classes you’re interested in!)
PAYMENTS ACCEPTED THROUGH PAYPAL

Winter Citrus 2010!

We had a terrific class last week with some lovely ladies representing Brooklyn, Manhattan, Washington DC, and Toronto...

With a last minute special shipment of California Citrus we were able to make some gorgeous arrangements pulling from other winter seasonal blooms like ranunculus, poppies, hinoki cedar, tulips, sweet pea, paperwhites, eucalyptus pods and some carnations for good measure.

We love this bright, festive alternative to the typical red and green palette that reigns supreme this time of year. HEY! AH Ah YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS? GREENANDYELLOWGREENANDYELLOWGREENANDYELLOWGREENANDYELLOW...
...Is no one else listening to hot 97 this winter?

glass houses

Headed up to Battenfelds on Tuesday with Nea and my mom to cut a Christmas tree and tour the anemone greenhouses. They have 8 huge warm and humid houses of anemones. These are the same flowers we buy wholesale in the NYC market - Battenfelds is the leading grower of anemones in the world. And now they've started around 1000 sq. feet of ranunculas. I was so excited and happy to be there, at one point I realized that I was saying "I love you! I love you!" out loud to the flowers.

Step by step, oooh baby

Virtual Flower School! Get your clippers ready...

This week we'll post some exciting announcements as well as a new class or two!

The citrus class has a few spots left, who's in? Here are some of the lovely arrangements from last winters class.

'nations

Well well well! ...it appears that our little friend The Carnation is quite the media slut around town!
Check out the full article in last week's Wall Street Journal...

Love it! Lets do a Carnation Class!!

WREATH MAKING 101!!!

Still a few spots over there --> in Wednesday's evening's wreath class. We'll be using wire frames to make lushly carpeted wreaths of evergreens, eucalyptus, seeds and pods - and then a more rustic composition on a grapevine frame. One for you, one to give away!
__

Thanks to Ashley, Tanah and Lexi for joining us Wednesday night for our Thanksgiving centerpiece class...we'll post pictures of the evening soon. Here is the centerpiece I made.

Thanksgiving Eve Class is upon us....

And we've got 4 tickets hanging on the line! You must register by Friday! Nicolette's signature palette will be in full effect; nude, salmon, taupe, bronze and aubergine - we're ordering flowers like there's no tomorrow - you need a jaw-dropping centerpiece to show off to your in-laws...

Register here

Cool Colors of Autumn Class = AMAZING

In early October we relished in all the cool colors of the season. Brace yourself for these elegant arrangements...

Thanks to those of you signing up for the next round of classes! Got a few other exciting things up our sleeves - one of which is taking LFS on the road in the new year. Promise to keep you posted...

Make Your Own Thanksgiving Centerpiece!

THANKSGIVING CENTERPIECE 101

Get it done! Sign up to make your own Thanksgiving centerpiece!

Wednesday, November 24th

6:00-9:00pm

$250

Tired of mini pumpkins and cornucopia?

Do your Thanksgiving up right with a lush sprawling floral centerpiece! Crown your own table, or bring it to your friend's/family feast. Nothing helps divert family tension like a stunning flower arrangement full of ranunculus, parrot tulips, chocolate cosmos, amaranth, and amaryllis! This class is suitable for floral enthusiasts of all levels, and will be limited to 6 students.

The class meets at Nicolette's studio in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

50-52 Dobbin St

Brooklyn NY 11222

***

All classes are limited to 10 students, unless otherwise noted.

Clippers will be provided and are a gift to take with you.

Of course, class will finish with a refreshments.

Payments accepted through Paypal.

To register or ask questions email us at hello.flower.school@gmail.com

Ode to the Anemone

Ode to the Anemone

Saturday, December 4
1:00-4:00 pm
$250

The winter season brings us the much coveted Anemone. With it's deep blue/back center and delicate papery petals it never fails to make an impression. We'll mix anemones with other seasonal blooms to create a wintery arrangement in a silver footed urn.

The class will take place in the Saipua studio at 147 Van Dyke Street in Red Hook, Brooklyn.

***

All classes are limited to 10 students, unless otherwise noted.

Clippers will be provided and are a gift to take with you.

Of course, class will finish with a refreshments.

Payments accepted through Paypal.

To register or ask questions email us at hello.flower.school@gmail.com

Wreath Making

Wreath-making 101

Wednesday, December 1
5:30-7:30 pm
$200

We'll usher in December and holiday spirits with our first wreath making class! Working with foliage, evergreens, berries and fruits, we'll teach students about materials that dry and hold up well in wreaths. Using a grapevine frame, each participant will create their own festive wreath to take home. Well snack on egg nog and buche du noel!

The class will take place at Nicolette's studio at 50-52 Dobbin Street in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

***

All classes are limited to 10 students, unless otherwise noted.

Payments accepted through Paypal.

To register or ask questions email us at hello.flower.school@gmail.com

Citrus Class

CITRUS CLASS
Saturday, December 18th
1:00-4:00pm
$250

Our first citrus class was so dope, we could hardly wait a whole year to do it again... December brings beautiful lush citrus fruit from Florida; what a better way to shake the winter's chill than with kumquats, clementines, tangerines and limes. We'll be pairing these lovelies with other seasonal winter flowers like ranunculus, nerine lillies, amaryllis, cedar, acacia, and poppies.

The class will take place in the Saipua studio at 147 Van Dyke Street in Red Hook, Brooklyn.

***

All classes are limited to 10 students, unless otherwise noted.

Clippers will be provided and are a gift to take with you.

Of course, class will finish with a refreshments.

Payments accepted through paypal.

To sign up or ask questions email us at hello.flower.school@gmail.com