About

Gathered: 

* brought together and taken in from scattered resources. 

* come together, assemble or accumulate.

Gathered is a floral design project which stems from my rekindled appreciation of the natural world.

For as long as I can remember I have loved flowers. Casting my mind back to my childhood I have distinct memories of collecting tiny little blooms and giving them to my mother as a way of showing I cared. I admit that somewhere amidst the haze of life and adulthood, I forgot the way such an activity can spark pleasure. In this sense, Gathered is the product of a retreat to what is perhaps a more authentic version of myself. 

As with so many ventures, Gathered began unintentionally. Whilst out walking in the winter months, the slower pace of life enabled me to notice the life still-present signs of life in a season where I assumed life to be residual. I began collecting small amounts of evergreen trees and transforming them into winter wreaths. In these early stages I was physically gathering my materials. From the woods, to friends and neighbours, my resources were accumulated from diverse places. 

The sense of community which stems from creation is immense. Once I had began to share my work with others, a feeling of togetherness through the medium of floristry became abundantly clear. Before engaging with flowers I admit that I was perhaps naive to their significance. Yet, with each bouquet that I put together I am slowly learning that every bunch of blooms tell a story. In this sense, the act of giving flowers becomes a social transaction - they speak a thousand words whilst saying nothing at all. Gathering others together, be that intangibly through delivering a bunch of bouquet to another’s loved one, or tangibly through workshops, weddings or collaborations is what I envisage Gathered’s future to be. 

As this project is about a return to nature, being respectful of the natural world is of primary importance. Wherever possible, I use biodegradable or recyclable packaging and source my flowers from English growers. In turn, my weekly flowers are inspired by the seasons, wrapped in brown paper and tied with natural twine. 

If one thing is certain my love for flowers is continuing to blossom, and I for one am excited about what the future holds.