We catch up with Liv Wakem, founder of Kensal Flowers.
What drew you to into the world of floristry?
When I left school I didn’t really have a clear view of what I wanted to do. I’d always had a love of flowers but never considered it as a career. I moved to London at the end of 2012 and thought it would be the perfect chance to pursue a different life path so signed up to a two-week floristry course to see if it’s what I wanted to do. It was.
Tell us about your time in London.
After working for a few months at three very different flower shops, I was so fortunate to get a full-time job at Scarlet & Violet. Five years on and I was managing the shop, 10 florists and four full-time drivers. It was chaos but I loved it! If you’re ever in London do pop in there – it’s magical.
What do you think sets your work apart from others in the floral business?
We just source the most beautiful seasonal flowers we can. We love to support local growers which means we have access to super fresh flowers – most cut that very morning! – and also specialty flowers that aren’t available to all florists through the flower auction. No two Kensal bunches are ever the same which sets us apart.
We love to support local growers which means we have access to super fresh flowers – most cut that very morning!
Your absolute favourite flower?
Oh, that’s hard. Each season has its favourites. Right now, people are going crazy for peonies, but I would rather have a small bunch of sweetpeas in a vase. Dahlia season is amazing – they come in so many shapes and colours. But then there is cosmos – just a vase filled to the brim with wispy cosmos brings so much joy. I can’t choose!
What’s one floral tip that everyone should know?
Always have a good collection of vases on hand and don’t ‘over-vase’ your flowers. Whenever we host workshops and talk about vase choice, people really hold onto this piece of advice. Your flowers should be 1.5 times the height of your vase. So, if you have a very tall vase, you’ll be needing some amazingly tall blossom or branches to balance it out. Sometimes smaller is actually best.
It’s that time of year. Do you have any creative tips for incorporating fresh flowers into Christmas decor or gifts this year?
Christmas in this hemisphere is a lovely time for flowers, but also tricky as the weather can get so warm – not complaining! If you are hosting, make sure to keep your flowers somewhere cool and keep the water topped up so they last over those festive days. It’s also quite lovely to include a little flower into your wrapping, tucking it under the ribbon.
It’s… quite lovely to include a little flower into your wrapping, tucking it under the ribbon.
Kingsland has such a buzzing community – what are some of your go-to spots?
Kingsland is such a hub in the evenings! Nanny’s Eatery is right across the street from us, and you can smell the Jamaican jerk chicken – delish! The Portland Pub has a great burger special between 4-7pm, just $8 for any burger. If you want a fun BYO, Canton Cafe is a stalwart of New North Road. Jaan does an amazing falafel kebab, it’s takeaway only so perfect for us while we’re working.
What’s the best part of having a business in Kingsland?
It’s a great central location for us, we can get to most parts of the city pretty easily for deliveries. But it’s such a great, supportive community. We’ve been here for six years now and have no view to move!
507b New North Road, Kingsland
