The Farmer-Florist 10 week course schedule
At Botaniculture, flowers start in the ground — not in a bucket.
Each week, you’ll work with locally grown flowers, freshly picked from our own farm or thoughtfully sourced from nearby growers, always naturally in season. You’ll experience how availability shifts week to week, how colour palettes are shaped by climate, and how stem length, texture and structure influence your design decisions.
Rather than forcing an outcome, you’ll learn to respond to what the season offers. This practical understanding — working with nature instead of against it — is what underpins sustainable, long-lasting floral work.
You don’t need to grow your own flowers to benefit from this knowledge. But once you understand where flowers come from — and when — everything changes. You design differently. You source differently. You begin to trust your own eye.
Inspired by nature, you’ll gradually develop a style that feels authentic, grounded and entirely your own.
WEEK ONE – At the Flower Farm
Week One begins outdoors, at the flower farm.
You’ll arrive and step straight into the landscape where your flowers are grown. We start simply — a warm welcome, a cup of tea, and a conversation. Bel and Mark share how their paths into floristry and floriculture came together, and how Botaniculture evolved into both a working farm and retail business.
From there, we walk the rows.
You’ll begin to understand flowers as living crops — shaped by weather, soil, timing and care. You’ll learn how and when to harvest, how to handle stems correctly, and why proper conditioning is one of the most important skills a florist can master.
We’ll introduce the essential tools of the trade and the discipline of preparation — cleaning, trimming, hydrating and assessing quality. These foundational habits influence everything that follows.
Your first creation is a seasonal market bunch, gathered from what is naturally available that week. You’ll build it thoughtfully, wrap it simply, and leave with flowers in hand — a true reflection of the field and the beginning of your floristry journey ( 3 hours ).
WEEK 2. HAND-TIED GARDEN BOUQUET
In Week Two, we move from harvesting to designing.
The focus is on seasonal bunches — learning to see how colour, texture and form interact in a bouquet.
We start with a discussion about working with the natural palette of the season. You’ll explore how different stems complement one another, how texture adds depth, and how to balance movement and structure to create a harmonious, natural-looking bouquet.
With fresh flowers in hand, you’ll learn how to hand-tie a garden-style bouquet, arranging stems in a way that feels abundant yet effortless.
You’ll also experiment with eco-friendly wrapping techniques, presenting your work in a way that is both beautiful and sustainable.
By the end of the session, you’ll have created a seasonal hand-tied bouquet, wrapped and ready to take home — a true reflection of the flowers you’ve worked with and the season you’re in.
Location : Burwood Brickworks ( 3 hours )
WEEK 3. GARDEN STYLE VASE ARRANGEMENT
Week Three shifts focus from bouquets to vase arrangements, exploring how to bring seasonal flowers together in a way that feels natural, abundant, and sustainable.
The session begins with a discussion on low-waste floristry — how to work thoughtfully with stems, foliage and materials to create beautiful designs while minimizing waste.
You’ll learn the principles that guide sustainable floral work and why they matter for both the environment and professional practice.
With flowers in hand, you’ll create your own natural garden-style vase arrangement, learning to balance height, texture and form. You’ll see how seasonal availability and stem structure influence placement, and how to make an arrangement that feels effortless but carefully considered.
By the end of the session, you’ll have a vase arrangement to take home, alongside the knowledge to approach future designs with sustainability and seasonal awareness at the forefront.
Location : Burwood Brickworks ( 3 hours )
WEEK 4. WORKING WITH WILDFLOWERS
In Lesson Four, we explore the world of wildflowers — abundant, textural, and full of character.
The session begins with practical knowledge about sourcing seasonal flowers. You’ll learn how to work with local growers, navigate wholesalers, and understand flower pricing, giving you insight into how florists access and select blooms throughout the year.
With guidance, you’ll then create a front-facing wildflower vase arrangement, combining Australian natives with South African wildflowers.
You’ll learn to showcase the natural structure and movement of the stems, creating a vibrant, layered display that celebrates the season and the unique qualities of each flower.
By the end of the session, you’ll have a wildflower vase arrangement to take home and a stronger understanding of sourcing, styling, and working with seasonal, textural blooms.
Location : Burwood Brickworks ( 3 hours )
WEEK 5. HAND-TIED WILDFLOWER BOUQUET
Week Five is all about bringing together texture, colour and form in a hand-tied wildflower bouquet.
You’ll start the session with a conversation about different pathways within the floristry industry, exploring career options, opportunities, and what it takes to work professionally with flowers.
Then, with a mix of Australian native and South African wildflowers, you’ll create a front-facing bouquet.
The focus is on arranging stems to show off their natural movement and character while building a composition that feels balanced and abundant.
You’ll also learn how to wrap your bouquet sustainably and present it beautifully, ready for display or gifting.
By the end of the session, you’ll leave with a finished bouquet in hand and a clearer understanding of how to approach both the creative and professional sides of floristry.
Location : Burwood Brickworks ( 3 hours )
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WEEK 6. EVENT FLOWERS PART 1.
Week Six introduces the world of event floristry, where planning and timing are just as important as design.
The session begins with a discussion about seasonal availability and peak demand, helping you understand how the calendar, crop cycles, and flower quality influence what can be used and when. You’ll learn how to plan floral work efficiently, making sure your designs are both beautiful and practical for events.
In the hands-on portion, you’ll create bud vase clusters and table centrepieces, learning how to design for different scales and settings. The focus is on using seasonal flowers creatively while maintaining cohesion and balance, so your arrangements look effortlessly curated yet thoughtfully composed.
By the end of the session you’ll have a set of event-style arrangements and a stronger understanding of how to design, plan, and work with flowers for special occasions.
Location : Burwood Brickworks
WEEK 7. EVENT FLOWERS PART 2
Week Seven continues our focus on event floristry, this time turning attention to sourcing and styling.
We discuss where to shop for flowers and sundries, sharing our favourite local growers, wholesalers, and flower markets. You’ll gain practical insight into selecting quality blooms and materials, understanding availability, and navigating pricing — knowledge that helps you work efficiently and professionally.
In the hands-on session, you’ll create a bouquet with a matching buttonhole, learning how to coordinate designs for a cohesive event look. You’ll practice composition, scale, and finishing techniques to ensure both pieces complement each other perfectly.
Location : Burwood Brickworks ( 3 hours )
WEEK 8 GROW & BLOOM PART 1 | Growing with Intention
Week 8 takes place on the farm, where you’ll step fully into the rhythm of growing seasonal flowers.
You’ll learn how to plan and manage seasonal crops, understand peak harvesting times, succession planting, and proper post-harvest care to maximise stem quality and vase life. This is hands-on learning in its truest sense — planting, cutting, conditioning and preparing flowers for market.
For students exploring a career change, this week offers a deeper insight into the realities of small-scale flower farming and the foundations of a sustainable grower–florist business.
WEEK 9 GROW & BLOOM PART 2 | Harvest to Market
In Week 9, we focus on what happens after the harvest — bunching, pricing, order preparation and understanding the flow of flowers from field to customer.
You’ll work alongside us as we prepare flowers for our shop and workshops, gaining insight into workflow, time management and maintaining quality under real working conditions.
Career change students will also have the opportunity to undertake structured work experience with us, building confidence in both farm and studio environments and gaining practical understanding of day-to-day business operations.
Location : Silvan Farm ( 3 hours )
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WEEK 10. Bringing It Full Circle
We close our journey together with a creative celebration.
You’ll create a living wreath using seasonal plants, moss and foraged twigs — a piece that reflects the full circle of growing, harvesting and designing with intention.
We’ll gather for a farewell afternoon tea, reflecting on what you’ve learned and the path ahead — whether that’s growing for joy, deepening your creative practice, or stepping into a new career in flowers.
For those ready to take the leap, ongoing work experience opportunities remain open beyond the course, offering continued mentorship within our working farm and retail store. ( 3 hours ).
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