Love Local: Introducing The Purple Dahlia
Thanks to Lucia Zanmonti for making these beautiful images at Pip’s floral workshop.
Somehow, we’re already in December, and Christmas is speeding towards us. So we thought - it’s time to slow down. Take some time to breathe, to relax, to learn, and to get to know some of the hard-working individuals behind some amazing local businesses.
It’s more important than ever to love local - so here are a couple of lovely locals! Introducing Mike and Pip, the husband and wife duo behind The Purple Dahlia. Based in Masterton, these two grow the most incredible blooms, create the most beautiful arrangements, and also host fantastic bespoke workshops.
WHERE DID IT ALL BEGIN? TELL US ABOUT THE EARLY DAYS OF YOUR BUSINESS.
I come from a family who love to garden and as a young girl I used to help my neighbour arrange flowers at local events but I pursued my passion for languages and it was only after time abroad and work as a teacher that I began my floristry journey. The Purple Dahlia started with wedding flowers for friends and birthday bouquets for family and it has gradually grown into a full time job.
When I met my husband Mike we decided to try growing our own flowers as well as sourcing flowers from local growers and we had a season of growing in the UK before we moved here. We lived in a terraced house with no flower beds so Mike grew flowers in pots, an old suitcase, a bathtub...anything we could find! It was fantastic and as a florist there is nothing better than being able to go out into the garden and pick fresh flowers for a bouquet!
WHAT HAS THE PURPLE DAHLIA BEEN UP TO IN 2020?
This year has been busy! We moved to New Zealand to be with family at the end of 2019 and we welcomed our daughter in January, moved to Masterton in February and as we launched our business lockdown started!
This year has been a time to organise and plan our cutting garden alongside growing hundreds of flowers! Lawn has been turned into flower beds, hedges and trees have been planted and we had our first flower harvest with thousands of tulips! We have been working in collaboration with Le Gra vineyard and Coco Dessert Bar where I have run workshops and we are at the local farmers market each week.
WHAT HAS 2020 TAUGHT YOU?
This year has taught us that no matter what is going on in the world the seasons keep turning and the flowers keep growing and it is this constancy that keeps us grounded.
TELL US ABOUT THE WORKSHOPS YOU RUN.
We run a variety of workshops, some in partnership with other new local businesses, Le Gra vineyard and Coco Dessert Bar, both based in Masterton. The workshops use flowers from our cutting garden and I show participants how to create bouquets, table centrepieces and wreaths using sustainable floristry techniques.
We also run DIY Wedding workshops where I teach the wedding party how to make bouquets, buttonholes, table decorations, garlands and larger arrangements so they can create their own wedding flowers. We can also supply buckets of fresh flowers for DIY weddings and events. We plan to open our cutting garden very soon and we will run workshops in the garden where participants can cut their own flowers and learn how to arrange them.
HOW CAN PEOPLE HOST MORE SUSTAINABLE, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY WEDDINGS?
As flower growers we would encourage people to use local, seasonal flowers for their wedding. There are fewer miles involved and it is a great way to support local. As a business we have decided not to use floral foam or other single use plastics in our work and we encourage couples to use biodegradable petals for confetti.
Thanks to Lucia Zanmonti for the gorgeous photos.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT THE WAIRARAPA?
We love the big open spaces, the mountains and the coast. We love the friendly, laid back community and the wonderful climate.
DO YOU HAVE ANY WISE WORDS OF ADVICE FOR COUPLES PLANNING THEIR WEDDINGS?
We would say do not feel you need to have things in your wedding just to follow tradition, make sure your wedding reflects you both as a couple.
Find out more about The Purple Dahlia here!
Words put together by the wonderful Deanna Walker
Thanks to Lucia Zanmonti for making these beautiful images at Pip’s floral workshop.