Blended workshop in Spring

I had the most lovely time recently running a small workshop at Brinscall Hall for three ladies who'd expressed an interest in learning how to create hand-tied bouquets. I'd advertised this workshop as a blended session, with an essential oil that I enjoy in Spring and a perennial plant of the same name: wild bergamot.

I'm a long time user of essential oils for their scent and their remedial properties. Wild (organic) bergamot has a wonderful uplifting fragrance and I use it in an aromatherapy diffuser, as well as applying it topically with a carrier oil (rose oil) for inflammation. It can be dabbed on pulse points, worn on an aromatherapy bracelet, or simply inhaled for mood lifting benefit.

What's so delicious about this essential oil is that its just as cool and calming as it is uplifting, so very versatile even at bedtime as we wind down. It has a citrus, spicy scent and is a real favourite.

My recommended and most loved brand is Oshadhi. It's name means 'plant medicine' in Sanskrit which is the original language of my practical philosophy studies. Of course, I felt completely connected, and continue to do so.

Wild Bergamot as a garden plant is a hardy perennial and part of the mint family. It's easy to grow, will tolerate most soil types and is an excellent cut flower when it blooms from June onwards. It is also regarded as a herb, and it's leaves can be used in recipes in the same way as you would cook with Thyme. The plants are easy to propagate; just lift and divide once flowering next Spring and they will happily come back year after year.

Both planted seedling and essential oil formed part of my workshop, and although it was too early to use the cut flowers in our bouquets, their time will come in the summer.

And so to our bouquets;

Flowers available on the day were Alstromeria, Sweet William, Tulips of two varieties, Narcissi (both yellow and paper whites), Ranunculus, Antirrhinum, and Anemone. There was foliage of Pittosporum and Eucalyptus Parvifolia, ans well as blossom from Spirea, Weigala, and other wafty stems from the garden.

It was good to create a demonstration bouquet with Spring flowers. My ladies did beautifully with their spriralling technique; not always easy for those new to it. With bouquets all wrapped and in water, we headed in to lunch and enjoyed each other's company.

The feedback for the blended workshop was very positive, and I'll be sure to add more as the months progress. There is always something new to learn. Plants teach us so many things whilst essential oils too have a therapeutic benefit carried over from use many years ago.

Being able to gaze out onto the garden to see new plant life emerging was also great therapy..

If you'd like to join a workshop of mine, do be in touch. I am happy to organise a session for small groups or for you individually. More workshops will be advertised as we head into summer in any event as I have available dates at Brinscall Hall in June, July and September and more details will soon follow.

For now, I invite you to enjoy the image below of the small urn created from the demonstration bouquet, beccause it never hurts to repurpose and I love flower play at any time for my own mindful benefit.

#springflopwers #springworkshop #seasonalflowers #themindfulseasonalist