The Poho Flowers owner reveals his signature aesthetic and which flowers are having a moment
The director of Sydney’s iconic Poho Flowers on the art of conveying a message without words, and why we should give carnations another chance
How did you get into floristry? It was somewhat by accident. I grew up in a house of flowers and was a customer at Poho in my late teens and early twenties. I really got into it about six years ago, and I’ve owned Poho now for about five years.
Poho has a signature aesthetic — how would you describe it? There’s definitely a classic, heritage feel to the brand. We’ve been in the same beautiful Art Deco building for 12 years, and in the past few years we’ve really elevated the look. The signature is evolving and it has a more contemporary feel now.
Which flowers are having a moment? More traditional flowers that have been around for a long time, like chrysanthemums and orchids, are coming back into vogue. Baby’s breath, for example, was very much associated with your supermarket florist or the local store two years ago, but increasingly it’s used en masse as a feature rather than filler in a bouquet. There are also a lot of dyed and preserved florals. Some of the flowers that people would have turned their nose up at five years ago – like the carnation – are back on trend, with special dye treatments applied to them, so you get some really amazing tones and super bright neon vibes.
So the carnation is back? [Laughs] They’re not for everyone, but are now in some incredible colourways. They’ve come a long way.
What is your all-time favourite flower? That’s easy – poppies. They embody everything I love about floristry: they’re very fragile and fleeting, they come in beautiful colours, patterns and shapes, and the way they move is pretty special.
What’s the most challenging part of being a florist? It’s not for the faint-hearted. This is a very labour-intensive job, from buying fresh flowers at the markets to unpacking and setting up the store and then doing deliveries. It can be quite taxing. There are a lot of emotions – good, bad or indifferent – associated with flowers, and we’re trying to convey somebody’s feelings, emotions and message with our work, which is always a challenge. But that’s the fun of the job, too.
What about the best part? The seasonality. There’s something about turning up to a market or a flower farm and seeing the varieties and the landscapes ever changing. Being inspired and motivated creatively is really easy when you’re constantly presented with new and exciting things.
What’s something people should know about floristry? There’s a big difference between buying flowers and floristry. You should trust your florist and build a relationship with them so you can lean on their knowledge. Part of our job is to educate the customer and also try to understand their vision and the message they want to send, so that relationship is really important.