Make your own bouquets at these Long Island flower classes
Michelle Melocoton, of Setuaket, assembles a boquet at a flower arrangement workshop hosted by Hometown Flower Co. at Rose and Boom Boutique in St. James. Credit: Morgan Campbell
Now that spring flowers are in bloom, workshops on how to turn them into beautiful arrangements are sprouting up throughout Long Island.
You can learn how to make a bouquet or centerpiece, fashion a floral crown, or you can be taught to arrange flowers using the Japanese art of Ikebana. And you’ll have your pick of such springtime favorites as tulips, daffodils, ranunculus, poppies, sweet peas, hellebore and hyacinth to work with.
“They tend to be really popular,” Amber Otto, owner of Eastport General Store, says of the workshops. She has hosted several at the site featuring instruction from local florists. “Everyone loves to play with flowers and you get to take them home. There are seasonal flowers you can choose from; you can learn about different tricks and techniques, and about composition and colors.”
A finished flower arrangement at a workshop hosted by Hometown Flower Co. at Rose and Boom Boutique in St. James. Credit: Morgan Campbell
Otto adds, that like spring, these days the workshops can also bring to participants a feeling of hope and rebirth.
“The idea is you can bring your mom, or a friend, or just come by yourself — some people like to bring a bottle of rosé to share with friends,” Otto says.
Doreen Gabrielsen, 57, of Eastport, has attended spring flower workshops and others for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas held at Otto’s store and elsewhere.
“I’m not a good crafter, so I always walk away with two or three tips,” Gabrielsen says. “The instructors take the time to teach you and walk around.” She adds, “Its fun. You get a couple of girlfriends to come, drink some wine, and get a pretty thing to take home.”
Jaclyn Rutigliano owns the Hometown Flower Co. mobile florist with her husband, Marc Iervolino. They host workshops, private events and flower bars featuring designs that use only Long Island seasonal blooms. She says flowers are great for elevating your mood.
“Flower arranging is on TikTok and is becoming more and more popular,” Rutigliano says. “It’s a really beautiful art form, and it’s getting people to fall in love again with flowers being in their home — not just appreciating them at a wedding or another special event.”
You simply feel good when you have flowers around, Rutigliano adds. She notes they’ve most recently “exploded” in popularity due to the pandemic.
“They remind us that life is always moving and to stop and appreciate beauty,” Rutigliano says. “People want to get out and bring a little life into their home. I tell people in my workshops, ‘Get off the phone, reconnect, and express what you are.”’
So, if you’d like to celebrate spring with flowers, we’ve found some upcoming local workshops that can help you make those arrangements.
Hiroko Uraga-Senese conducting an Ikebana workshop at the East Meadow Public Library in 2016. Photo Credit: RyuShuKan Japanese Art Center Credit: RyuShuKan Japanese Art Center
Hometown Flower Co.
DIY Dried Floral Apothecary Workshop, April 28, 6:30 to 8 p.m., Endo Ethos, 289 Main St., Huntington, $75 per person
Moms Night Out Flower Crown Workshop, May 5, 6:30 to 8 p.m., Endo Ethos, 289 Main St., Huntington, $80 per person
Brunch & Blooms Monthly Floral Design Workshop, May 15, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Endo Ethos, 289 Main St., Huntington, $90 per person
Springtime Flowers in a Bag Workshop, May 19, 6:30 to 8 p.m., Endo Ethos, 289 Main St., Huntington, $85 per person
Blending with Blooms — Flower Crown & Wine Blending Workshop, May 22, noon to 1:30 p.m., RGNY winery, 6025 Sound Ave., Riverhead, $130 per person
Flowers in a Bag Workshop, June 2, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Robke’s of Northport, 427 Ft. Salonga Rd., $125 per person
Brunch & Blooms Monthly Floral Design Workshop, June 12, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Endo Ethos, 289 Main St., Huntington, $90 per person
Design & Shop; Flowers in a Bag Workshop, June 16, 6:30 to 8 p.m., AJ Sunflower Boutique, 380 Main St., Center Moriches, $85 per person
Summer Solstice Reiki & Flower Crown Workshop, June 21, 6:30 to 8 p.m., Revive Health Studio, 44 C, Gerard St., Huntington, $85 per person
Eastport General Store
Mother’s Day Bouquets Workshop with Ocean Fog Farm, May 6, 6 to 7:30 p.m., Eastport General Store, 510B Montauk Highway, Eastport, $75 per person
Farmingdale Village Cultural Arts Committee
Ikebana Workshop, May 22, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or 2 to 3:30 p.m., Farmingdale Village Hall, 361 Main St., $25 per person. Preregistration is required.
