Florist Kirsty Noble had to put all her knowledge and skill to work when she was selected to design one of Princess Diana’s iconic gowns for Fleur de Villes ‘DIANA’ exhibition. The hours spent and the organisational headache was worth it though when she picked up the award for the most Creative Design. So what is it like to be part of the Fleurs de Villes experience? The Trade Club caught up with Kirsty to find out more. How were you selected? My name was put forward to the o

Most employees look forward to taking a well-earned break over the Christmas period. But staff holidays have to be balanced against ensuring business needs are met. Here we take a look at the considerations and rules around time off over the festive period. The Working Time Regulations Under the Working Time Regulations, full time employees are entitled to a minimum of 5.6 weeks of holiday in each annual leave year, if you have part-time employees or workers, their holiday is

There is something wonderfully romantic about an Autumn wedding. The light becomes softer; the landscape starts to change and suddenly we have a whole new floral palette to play with. Is Autumn the best season for Wedding Flowers? For florists, Autumn is one of those seasons that lets us be a little more adventurous. We can introduce richer colours, beautiful textures, berries, seed heads, grasses and seasonal foliage’s to create wedding flowers that feel completely different

Strength & Stem is a London-based charity and social enterprise that uses floristry to empower female survivors of modern slavery and human trafficking. Each year, 15 women take part in its trauma-informed programme, combining introductory floristry training, personal development, mentoring and supported work experience. The charity is currently looking for welcoming florists who could help participants practise their skills in a real workplace, build confidence and gain valu

As a little girl I can remember going to the train station with my Aunt, to collect boxes of flowers for the florist shop she worked at. They came mainly from Devon and Cornwall and would have a treasure trove of anemones, narcissi, violets, lily of the valley or cornflowers inside tied with black cotton and wrapped in crisp white tissue paper. Fast forward a few decades and this year I have made the conscious decision to use more British-grown flowers in my wedding work. I t

A bottle of fizz with the bouquet is a lovely upsell, but selling alcohol means a licence and an ID check on the doorstep. Here is what is involved, and how the software handles the age check for you. Adding a bottle of prosecco to a birthday bouquet, or a half-bottle of champagne to an anniversary order, is one of the easiest upsells a flower shop has. The margin is good and customers love it. But the moment you sell alcohol, you are in a different bit of the law to the one

Recruitment can be a challenge – finding candidates, sifting through applications and having the confidence and experience to interview

Why open communication is vital in the workplace Open communication is vital in any working environment and is a great way to improve employee wellbeing. Showing employees that they are valued in a supportive workplace, will make them feel more appreciated no matter what their level of seniority. This in turn, will make them feel more comfortable to share their feelings and thoughts with peers and managers. In this guide, we discuss the best methods on how to encourage employ

Get inspired by one of the biggest Christmas and Winter 2026 floristry trends with Karen Barnes. In this video, Karen introduces the luxurious Frosted Berries & Bronze trend, a rich and elegant winter look that combines frosted textures, metallic accents, seasonal foliage and beautiful winter flowers. Featuring bronze, copper and silver highlights alongside traditional festive materials, this design offers a contemporary take on Christmas floristry. The Frosted Berries & Bron

From stock and staffing costs to travel and training courses, there are lots of everyday outgoings when you’re running your own business. Understanding the allowable expenses you can claim can help to reduce your tax bill when you file your taxes. Once these expenses have been deducted from your turnover, you’ll pay tax on the remaining amount, which is your taxable profit. You can’t claim expenses if you’re using the £1,000 tax-free trading allowance. The trading allowance o

FleuraMetz translates this years autumn trend in their incredibly inspiring lookbook. Check out all their ideas in this visual article. In a hotel, every space calls for a different floral touch. At the reception, striking, long-lasting flowers create a warm welcome. Guest rooms require subtle bouquets that stay fresh without intensive care. In the restaurant, fragrance and style take centre stage: flowers that enhance the experience without influencing the taste of the dishe

Gone are the days when the only focus for businesses was their profit margin...

The internationally renowned Flower Carpet project comes to the UK for the very first time, this weekend. This unique event has been created in collaboration with Tapis de fleurs de Bruxelles, the non-profit association who organise the Flower Carpet event at the Grand-Place in Brussels. The world renowned Flower Carpet has been a regular event in Belgium since the 1970s, and for this UK first, it will be created live and displayed in the gothic surrounds of Centenary Square

Get to grips with payroll admin, plus download FSB's free Payroll Checklist & Calendar covering every task and deadline across the tax year. Hiring employees is an exciting step in growing your small business, but payroll can be time-consuming and confusing. There’s more to payroll than simply paying your staff. You’ll need to account for each employee’s deductions, operate PAYE and ensure you’re compliant with pension contributions. At the Federation of Small Businesses, our