Bloom Collective
Bloom Collective - Studio Tour
November 2017
Words: Jo Dowsett
Photography: Carolyn Carter
“Wild yet considered floristry... with bucket loads of grace & charm.”
Bloom Collective is a flower studio, based in Birmingham and was founded in 2015 by the very fabulous Katy Pegg. Katy’s background is in fine art and following a floristry course at Botanical Gardens in Birmingham, it was inevitable that she would be inspired and fall in love with flowers. With an offbeat style, Bloom Collective was founded on the belief that flowers are a powerful expression and help to celebrate life’s most important moments. Katy’s floral creations are dramatic, whimsical and enigmatic. ‘Wild yet considered’ is how Katy puts it and she has an innate ability to create floristry that is truly unique to each and every individual.
The floral magic starts life in Katy’s black, wood clad studio which nestles beautifully and serenely at the bottom of her garden. It’s the three window frames that you see first; they pop out with their cheery orange zest colour. Zinc buckets and a trough planted up with a froth of ferns ground the studio in it’s space. Sitting proudly on the window sill are three beautiful asparagus ferns which give you a hint that this is no ordinary garden studio.
Once inside, the mesmeric aroma of foliage and flowers greets you with force. Beautiful jewel-like autumnal tones are abundant with buckets full of roses, dahlias and sedums. The green foliage sets the flowers off like a perfect backdrop to a theatrical play. Hanging from one wall are an array of dried hydrangeas, eucalyptus, thistles and Chinese lantern plants with a selection of delicate seed heads which provide textural delight. A high shelf displays Katy’s tiny terracotta pots and her collection of sedum and cacti.
A straw basket overflows with leaves that have been removed from their stems in preparation for bouquet-tying and reams of craft paper stand proud, ready to be used. Tucked in a corner underneath Katy’s work bench is a large selection of old terracotta pots, vintage wooden crates, antique glass bottles and an array of textural metal, ceramic and enamel vessels, all of which sit so comfortably with the natural tones of the surrounding flora. Katy is an avid visitor to flea markets, car boot sales and second hand shops and she is always on the look out for vases that would work well with her aesthetic. Her partner’s parents own an antique shop and she often visits France in search of unusual and beautiful vessels to both compliment and highlight her creations.
Katy has had a very busy couple of years since the launch of her business and she now includes running courses, providing a ‘flower drop’ to lucky Birmingham customers and supplying the floral backdrop and centre stage displays to many weddings.
She lives in Birmingham with her partner.
Where do you get your inspiration for your floral designs
Katy is a very visual individual and is heavily influenced by her fine art background. She firmly believes in the importance of putting her personality into each and every piece, both large and small. She uses fashion, interiors and the seasons as points of reference in her work. ‘Seasonal ingredients’ are important to her and she wants to always ensure that each element of her work is intrinsic and considered.
What is your favourite flower?
Katy did not have one definitive answer but instead has a favourite flower for each season. ‘In the Spring, it is cosmos, in the Summer, it is a dahlia, in the Autumn, it is the foliage and for Winter time, it is the chrysanthemum.’
What flowers would you select for an intimate dinner party with friends?
For an Autumnal get together, Katy ‘would select dark and atmospheric roses, trailing ivy, green foliage and berries.’
What comes first with your creations? Colour? Texture? Form?
Katy will ‘always start with a colour palette first but all individual elements go into the initial thinking.’
Can you tell us about the courses you run at Bloom Collective?
Katy runs workshops at the very beautiful Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens Orangery. These have included ‘Christmas wreath workshops and still life workshops’ where she is able to pass on her wonderful floristry skills to an audience. Katy really enjoys this element of her work as she ‘loves working with other creative people and seeing how each piece created is completely different to the next.’ Katy is looking to expand this side of her business and 2018 is shaping up to allow her this opportunity with the Herbert Art Gallery in Coventry.
How do you hope people will feel when they see your creations?
Katy puts her all into each and every creation and still feels the butterflies when she is preparing for a wedding. She is usually at the venue early in the morning and although she is tremendously busy preparing for the bridal party, she still finds it nerve wracking as it is someone’s very special day. ‘I want them to be happy and to meet all of their expectations’ says Katy of one of life’s huge moments.
Where do you see Bloom Collective going in 2018?
Katy would like to provide floral amazement at as ‘many weddings as I can and collaborate with as many people as possible.’ She would like to run more classes and start to take on staff, especially through her really busy periods.
Bloom Collective is very proud to be working with British grown flowers but Katy is very keen to work towards a future where the majority of her creations are made using ‘British grown flowers’. She feels strongly that this is the direction she would like to take her business, in the future. She already has an allotment and is hopeful that she will be able to grow her own flowers and foliage for many more of her clients.
Katy’s artistic floral creations really are a feast for the eye and a delight for the senses. They are eloquently composed, beautifully serene, tranquil and exquisite. Rather like Katy herself. The world is a brighter place with her arrangements and we anticipate Bloom Collective with Katy at the helm is going to go places. We are looking forward to watching her succeed with bucketloads of grace and charm.
Find more of Katy's work here:
@bloom_collective
www.bloom-collective.com
