It was only a few short months ago that Emily Thompson stood in the White House’s East Room and envisioned the task of “bringing outside in” to create her exciting holiday decor project for the First Family. Now Thompson is sharing some of her inspired creative talents at The New York Botanical Garden. Later this month, she will bring her floral shears to the NYBG’s midtown location, encouraging students to delve into the design elements that embody the forest, bog, and jungle.

Thompson’s work is best known for its sculptural and naturalistic elements as inspired by her native Vermont. Her clients are not only among the internationally famous, such as the Obamas, but include her local Brooklyn friends and restaurants as well. Having studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and earned an MFA in sculpture at UCLA, Thompson eventually moved to New York, where she set up her shop–Emily Thompson Flowers–on Jay Street in Brooklyn’s DUMBO district, one of the city’s premier art havens.
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A shot of color for your Monday morning.

Floral Design, Sans Flowers (photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen)

Sarah Lusardi is owner of Engaging Floral Designs  and holds a Certificate in Floral Design from The New York Botanical Garden’s Adult Education Program.

In 2003 I opened a wedding planning company, NY Engagements, LLC, for the engaged professional woman on the go. Soon I started incorporating lighting services, linen rentals, and even basic floral work for budget-conscious brides.

A big break—and a turning point—came when my planning and floral services were filmed for the TV show Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? on the Style Network. I realized that my floral and planning services were a great combination, and I decided to dig deeper into floral design to expand my business. I discovered NYBG, and I knew that its reputation would give my business the needed backbone to support my endeavor.

It took me about a year and a half to complete the required courses and internship to attain the Floral Design Certificate. The required introductory floral design classes give students the skills to use in all future design work. Students learn about flower varieties, different design shapes and styles, color trends, and the care and conditioning of flowers. The advanced and elective courses broaden those horizons, allowing students to experiment with interesting flowers and explore contemporary arrangement styles. On the business end, the practical planning course work covers how to price arrangements and make money.

Floral design students participate in these courses for all different reasons: to work in a flower shop, to start their own shop or specialty flower business, or simply to expand their palette of flowers for personal enjoyment. The courses really provide a good range of information to appeal to these different interests. For those focused on event work like me, I found a wide array of courses to choose from such as Grand Scale Arrangements and Elegant NYC Centerpieces. The courses took the mystery out of designing, and I had many “aha” moments as I learned some important design tips. The teachers all are passionate about passing on their knowledge to students so that when they go out in the industry they will be able to meet the challenges that face them. read more »

Rustin Dwyer is Visual Media Production Specialist at The New York Botanical Garden.

Instructor Ken Norman Shows How to Make a Centerpiece

NYBG Continuing Education — Flower Arranging with Ken Norman, A.I.F.D. (Full version) from The New York Botanical Garden on Vimeo.

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