Founded by the talented Samantha Parker, Fox and Bloom (also referred to as Fox & Bloom) is her devotion, passion, and the business she has put all her love and effort into. The florist studio, settled in a former renovated barn is the ideal place to unleash her creative side. Every bouquet draws inspiration from the panoramic views of the surrounding Cheshire countryside, fueled by a dandy setting. Views and flowers? A superb combo if you ask Sam! Join her in this week's florist special.
The Floral Tale of Samantha Parker, Owner of Fox and Bloom, UK
What does it mean to work with flowers as a way of life to make people happy in between petals and floral arrangements? Samantha will tell you just why her job is beyond perfect and why she adores working with flowers in addition to arranging them. Every bouquet at Fox and Bloom is more of a dialogue than an arrangement, expressing tales, moods, and perhaps a little defiance of the conventional wisdom when it comes to flowers. More than just floristry, this conversation with her offers a glimpse into her creative process and how she reimagines flowers plus the backstory of her very successful business.
Q: If you were to describe yourself, and tell us more about your 'it story' and what your initial career was, what would you share
Samantha:
"I have always been interested in design, passion, and art, and have been creative from a very young age. This led me to become a make-up artist as my first 'real job'. I learned a lot from other creatives, how to work in an artistic industry, and also learned the ropes of running a business from a young age. I opened a cosmetic tattooing business as another leg to the makeup and when there were issues with the shop, rent, and other factors I decided to enter the world of grown-up work and ended up as a sales manager in an office in Manchester. I am a people person, and very honest (sometimes too much so) so this worked well for me as sales came very naturally to me. All of this experience has been a valuable part of my journey."
Q: Why did you pursue a career in the floral design world? What is the story behind your flower business and what inspired you to create it? What makes it 'stand out' from others?
Samantha:
"During the pandemic, like most people, I decided it was time for a career change. I was pregnant at the time, and the world was a scary place but I knew I would never get this opportunity again so I took the leap as it were and looked for work in floristry, having always loved flowers and having a keen eye for color, composure, and design I knew I would love to learn about this new world. We had also just moved to the countryside, had a baby, and got a dog so I thought this seemingly therapeutic career would lend itself to my new lifestyle.
I found a job with a brand new florist that was opening and was honest in my (lack of) experience so they told me I could learn/train from the manager and work at the same time. Anyways, three days into the job the manager quit and I was left managing the shop with literally three days of floristry experience and couldn't even make an aqua pack. The beauty of this was that I learned quickly. We recruited florists from all different backgrounds and I was bench-trained and did some private courses to cement my foundations. After a year of working as a florist, the business owner decided to liquidate and fold all of his businesses so it was sink or swim. Fox and Bloom was catapulted into the world (and by the world I mean Instagram) and it was time to make a living for myself."
Natural-colored wedding bouquet by Fox and Bloom
A pastel wedding bouquet for Laura and Ryan's wedding created by Sam
"I worked from my kitchen table with the incredible support of my wonderful husband, found a farm shop to stock the flowers and the inquiries started trickling in. Now I am 2 in business, I work out of a beautiful converted barn in the heart of Cheshire in Knutsford surrounded by fields and beautiful scenery. I bring my dog with me and the wedding work keeps me so busy. And the pandemic baby I had? She's now 4 years old, in school, and loves coming to my studio, she's a dab hand with a dustpan and brush. My passion for flowers grows daily and each seasonal change gives me something to get excited about. I love being creative, answering to nobody and I adore the design aspect of every wedding. Meeting my couples and starting a new design and hearing their ideas always give me such a buzz of excitement."
Florals With Attitude - Inside Fox and Bloom’s Creations
Following the interview with Sam, we wanted to know more about her career and what continued to spark her love for flowers towards the creation of Fox and Bloom.
Q: What was the moment that defined your career and skyrocketed your work?
Samantha:
"I am constantly working hard, I don't think there has been one defining moment. I just feel so privileged that I can make a living and a lifestyle out of something I love so much. With every wedding inquiry, every sale, every workshop booking, and every creative design myself and my husband always say to each other "we're getting there", I don't know where 'this is' but I am enjoying the journey and not taking a moment of it for granted. When someone comes to me because Fox and Bloom has been recommended to them it fills me with so much joy. I have been lucky enough to have worked with some incredible venues in Cheshire and I have a huge wedding next year which is being treated more as an art project - I can not wait for it and I feel like that might be pretty career-defining for me."
Q: What is your favorite part about designing with flowers?
Samantha:
"It's easy to say 'Oh my god all of it', but it really is. I go on a journey with my couples and I am happy to adapt and change my ideas and design. From that first meeting when we start with our 'ish' ideas, looking at Pinterest boards, and flicking through my 'Flower Colour Guide' book to then refining the ideas and design to then getting stuck into the full design and putting all my efforts into making everything perfect. I found it so important to make definitive decisions, if I have ordered something that on paper looks right in the design, if it doesn't work in reality I just have to abandon it. From a business perspective, the wastage and money spent is nowhere near as important as a cohesive design. Learning to 'edit' is one of the most essential parts of design."
Not Just Pretty Flowers - The Hidden Challenges of Being a Floral Designer
Of course, every career has its challenges and although working with flowers is one of the most wonderful jobs in the world (because flowers are good for you, and make you beyond happy), there are also tough times and Samantha shares more on her perspective on these challenges.
Q: What has been the biggest challenge about being a floral designer?
Samantha:
"The biggest challenge for me has always, and will always be the internal monologue with myself whenever flowers come into the studio. The ups and downs of 'there's too much, there's not enough, I've overspent, oh my god this is rubbish, actually it's pretty good, ok I love it' is CONSTANT. I am always at war with myself. I am also terrible at comparing myself to others all the time. I longingly scroll Instagram and save designs in my 'inspo' folder wishing I had made that or I had that brief or I was as amazing as that person."
"As a mother running a business, particularly such a hands-on business is time management. Balancing motherhood with marketing, invoicing, quoting, creating designs, ordering flowers, stem counts, and bookings plus getting all my info together for my accountant takes masses of organization (not my strong suit). It's definitely not playing with pretty flowers all day and is not the therapeutic career I envisioned. On a practical note, the biggest challenge for all florists, and this is important for anyone thinking of this career is just the constant never-ending cleaning - emptying buckets, bleaching, cleaning glassware, sweeping. It's all glamour..."
Q: What has been your favorite flower design to this day? Why do you love flowers so much?
Samantha:
"My latest design always becomes my new favorite. However, if I am being honest my favourite designs come from designing for special couples I work with and the feeling I get when I'm creating them. I had a bride in December 2022 and she was such a dream to work with, she had such a clear vision but absolutely trusted me so it was such a magical moment to be able to give her exactly what she wanted. That to me is what makes this bridal bouquet my favorite design. I used David Austin roses, Clematis, ferns, and lots of beautiful textures and greenery."
"There was another bride in June this year, it was my biggest wedding to date and she was a DREAM client. Her flowers were another favorite because of the journey, the conversations, and the design itself with pastel-colored flowers and gorgeous textures."
Along with this, we asked Sam why flowers are good for the world and she said:
"Flowers to me are essential for the world and the economy. I understand arguments for imported vs homegrown flowers and the eco-impact of both however from a business and economic perspective flowers are creating jobs, businesses, and careers for thousands of people. From an emotive perspective, flowers are such a gift. In any situation flowers are an act of love, they change moods, they can help with mental health and well-being, they set a scene, and they create a moment."
To finish the interview, a quote to inspire and share with the world:
Samantha:
"My genuine favorite quote is "Don't ask don't get" - sometimes just asking a question will get a life-changing response. Also, during my makeup career, I worked with a photographer and I remember getting booked on jobs, I was nervous, and unsure of myself and capabilities and would often say "But I don't know how to do that" and he said to me "Say yes to everything, say yes to every job and if you don't know it, figure it out later" - I have genuinely done that since then, said yes, then figured it out later."
To see more of her work, visit Fox and Bloom's Instagram account.
Photo credits: Claire Basiuk, Tobiah Tayoh, Louise Jacob Photography. Blue Crane Photography, and Jen Anderson Photography.
