September 3, 2026

Get Creative This Holiday Season: Winter Botanical Swag Workshop at the Gorge Pavilion

There’s something special about creating with your hands during the holiday season.

The scent of fresh evergreen, the texture of pinecones and winter botanicals, a beautiful ribbon tied just so—and suddenly, your home feels a little more festive.

This November, Foxgloves Flowers is bringing the magic of the season to the Gorge Pavilion Winter Bazaar with a fun and creative Outdoor Winter Swag Workshop.

If you’re looking for a unique holiday activity in Victoria, a creative afternoon with friends, or simply an excuse to get your hands into some beautiful seasonal botanicals, this workshop is for you!

Create Your Own Winter Botanical Swag

Our Outdoor Winter Swag Workshop is all about embracing the beauty of the season and creating something you’ll be proud to display at home.

You’ll work with fresh, seasonal botanical materials to create a beautiful winter swag that can be hung on a door, gate, fence, wall, or anywhere you want to add a little holiday charm.

And, of course, we’ll finish it with those details that make it uniquely yours—a beautiful bow, pinecones, and festive baubles.

You’ll leave with a finished botanical creation ready to take home and enjoy throughout the holiday season.

More Than Just a Workshop

At Foxgloves Flowers, we believe flowers and botanicals are about more than simply making something pretty.

They connect us to the seasons.

They bring people together.

And sometimes, taking a couple of hours to slow down, create something with your hands, and enjoy good company is exactly what we need during the busy holiday season.

Our workshops are designed to be approachable and enjoyable whether you’re an experienced maker or have never created a botanical arrangement before.

We’ll provide the materials, tools, guidance, and plenty of beautiful botanical treasures. You bring your creativity!

Join Us at the Gorge Pavilion Winter Bazaar

We’re thrilled to be part of the Gorge Pavilion Winter Bazaar, making it even easier to combine a little holiday shopping with some creative time.

Come browse the bazaar, support local makers and small businesses, soak up the festive atmosphere, and then join us for your very own botanical workshop.

It’s a wonderful way to kick off the holiday season—and your handmade swag makes a beautiful addition to your own home or a thoughtful handmade gift.

Choose Your Workshop Time

Saturday, November 28, 2026

Choose from three workshop times:

10:30 AM
1:30 PM
3:30 PM

📍 The Gorge Pavilion
1070 Tillicum Road, Victoria, BC

🌿 Workshop Cost: $60

Your $60 workshop includes all materials, tools, and botanical treasures needed to create your winter swag.

Bring a Friend and Make a Day of It

Holiday workshops are always better with someone you love!

Grab your best friend, your mom, your sister, your partner, or a fellow botanical lover and make a day of it at the Gorge Pavilion.

Or come on your own and meet some new creative people. You never know what friendships might grow when you put a bunch of flower-loving people in a room—or in this case, outside with a pile of gorgeous winter greens!

A Little Winter Magic, Made by You

There is something especially satisfying about hanging something on your door and knowing:

“I made that.”

Your winter swag won’t just be another holiday decoration. It will be something you created with your own hands, using the natural beauty of the season.

And when the holidays arrive, you’ll have a beautiful reminder of a morning or afternoon spent slowing down, getting creative, and enjoying the simple pleasures of the season.

Ready to Make Your Own?

Spaces for each workshop time are limited, so don’t wait too long to reserve your spot.

Join Foxgloves Flowers at the Gorge Pavilion Winter Bazaar and make your own beautiful Winter Botanical Swag!

BOOK YOUR WINTER SWAG WORKSHOP →

We can’t wait to get our hands into the winter greens with you!

— Foxgloves Flowers 🌿

September 3, 2026

A new MONTHLY ritual!

What’s Happening This Autumn & Winter?

We’ve curated the upcoming season to celebrate the transition from the abundance of summer into the slower, richer months of autumn and winter.

🌱 September | Seed Saving 101

Saturday, September 26 | 1:00 PM

Before we completely say goodbye to the garden, let’s save a little piece of it for next year.

Our Seed Saving 101 mini workshop is all about the simple art of collecting, drying, labelling and storing seeds so you can grow them again next season.

We’ll talk about what seeds are worth saving, how to keep varieties clean and the best conditions for storing them.

Then we’ll get our hands busy with a fun take-home project: your very own seed bomb to plant right away.

It’s a wonderful workshop for gardeners, curious beginners and anyone who loves the idea of carrying a little bit of this year’s garden into the next.

🎃 October | Mini Pumpkin with Succulents & Dried Flowers

Saturday, October 3 | 1:00 PM

October is all about harvest, colour and cozy autumn gatherings.

Our Mini Pumpkin Workshop takes one of the season’s most recognizable symbols and turns it into a tiny botanical masterpiece.

You’ll learn how to create an adorable mini pumpkin arrangement using succulents and dried flowers—a project that can become a beautiful seasonal decoration or a thoughtful hostess gift.

Best of all, you’ll learn the techniques you can use to make these little beauties again and again.

Imagine arriving at Thanksgiving dinner with a handmade botanical pumpkin instead of another bottle of wine. 😉

🍂 November | Botanical Casting

Saturday, November 7 | 1:00 PM

As the garden winds down, we’re finding another way to preserve its beauty.

In our Botanical Casting Workshop, you’ll learn how to create a personal three-dimensional botanical artwork using clay, locally harvested botanical elements and plaster.

You’ll press and arrange natural materials to create an 8″ x 8″ plaster cast that captures the shapes and textures of the season.

It’s part art project, part botanical preservation—and completely unique to you.

And because the finished piece makes such a beautiful keepsake, it would also make a very special handmade holiday gift.

🌿 December | Mini Holiday Wreath

Saturday, December 5 | 1:00 PM

It’s time to bring a little Foxgloves magic to your holiday decorating.

Our Mini Holiday Wreath Workshop will have you creating a beautiful botanical wreath to take home and enjoy throughout the season.

Hang it on your front door, add it to a kitchen cabinet, use it as a small table centrepiece with a candle in the middle—or even turn it into a beautiful living bow for a gift.

You’ll leave with your finished wreath and the skills to create more of your own.

Because we think handmade holiday decorating is just a little more special.

🌲 January | Moss Wall Hanging

Saturday, January 16 | 1:00 PM

When winter arrives and the garden outside is sleeping, we’re bringing the forest floor indoors.

Our Moss Wall Hanging Workshop is an invitation to slow down and play with texture.

You’ll learn how to “paint” with different varieties of living and dried moss, layering colour, texture and natural elements to create a lush framed piece of vertical botanical art.

The result is a beautiful piece of nature-inspired artwork for your home—and a new appreciation for just how many shades, shapes and textures can be found in moss.

It’s the perfect winter afternoon project.

🌿 February | Kokedama

Saturday, February 6 | 1:00 PM

We’re finishing our Autumn & Winter series with one of our Foxgloves favourites: Kokedama.

This Japanese-inspired plant art form involves wrapping plant roots in specialized soil and moss before binding them with twine to create a sculptural living garden.

Yes, you’ll get your hands messy.

And yes, that’s part of the fun.

You’ll leave with your own living Kokedama creation—a beautiful little floating garden and a conversation piece for your home.

It’s an especially lovely way to welcome a little green back into your life during the depths of winter.

One Hour. One Project. Something Beautiful to Take Home.

Every Foxgloves Mini Workshop includes all of your materials, tools and botanical treasures, so you don’t need to arrive with anything except yourself.

When: One Saturday each month
Time: 1:00–2:00 PM
Where: Foxgloves Studio, 2825 Heath Drive, Victoria, BC
Cost: $50 per person
Experience: None required!

Each workshop is intentionally small, approachable and hands-on.

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener, a lifelong maker or someone who proudly admits they “can’t keep a cactus alive,” you are welcome here.

We’ll guide you through the process, share our floral and botanical knowledge, and give you plenty of room to make the project your own.

Come Make Something With Us

There is something wonderfully grounding about making things with your hands.

In a world that moves quickly, botanical work asks us to slow down. To notice texture. To appreciate imperfection. To work with what the season gives us.

That’s really what these workshops are about.

Not creating something perfect. Creating something yours.

Come for the moss. Stay for the community. Leave with something beautiful.

And perhaps you’ll discover that your favourite part isn’t even what you made—it’s the hour you gave yourself to make it.

Make it a monthly ritual.

Book one workshop or collect the whole season. Bring your best friend, your mom, your sister, your partner—or simply come on your own and meet some other botanical-loving humans.

And remember: these make wonderful experience gifts, too. Instead of giving someone another thing to put on a shelf, give them an afternoon of creativity, connection and something beautiful they made with their own hands.

We can’t wait to create with you at Foxgloves Flowers this autumn and winter. 🌿

Click HERE to book your mini workshop spot!

June 11, 2026

The Soul of the Soil: Why ‘Grown-Not-Flown’ Matters

There is a specific kind of magic that happens when a flower is cut in the morning dew and sitting on your dining table by tea time.

At Foxgloves Flowers, that magic begins in the fields of Heath Gardens. It’s the simple but extraordinary journey from soil to vase—a journey measured in hours, not days or weeks. Every stem tells the story of the land it grew in, the season that shaped it, and the hands that carefully harvested it.

This is the heartbeat of our farm.

More Than a Phrase

“Grown-not-flown” is more than a catchy slogan. It’s a commitment to our local environment, our community, and the future of sustainable flower farming.

Many flowers sold in traditional floral markets travel thousands of kilometres before they reach a vase. They are often shipped internationally, stored in refrigeration, and transported across multiple distribution channels before arriving at their destination.

Our flowers take a different path.

Grown right here in Victoria, BC, they spend their lives rooted in rich soil, nourished by rainwater, sunshine, and the fresh coastal air of Vancouver Island. Instead of spending days packed in cardboard boxes or transported on cargo planes, they move directly from our fields into your home.

The result? Fresher flowers, longer vase life, and a significantly smaller carbon footprint.

A Better Choice for Pollinators

Choosing local flowers supports more than sustainable farming practices—it helps nurture healthy ecosystems.

Our gardens provide valuable habitat and food sources for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators throughout the growing season. These hardworking visitors play a vital role in maintaining biodiversity and supporting local agriculture across Vancouver Island.

Every bouquet grown at Heath Gardens is part of a larger cycle that benefits the land, the insects that depend on it, and the community that enjoys its beauty.

The Difference You Can See—and Smell

Anyone who has walked through a flower field in midsummer knows that freshly cut blooms offer something impossible to package or ship across continents.

Take a garden-grown sweet pea, for example. Its delicate fragrance is rich, complex, and fleeting—a reminder that nature’s finest gifts are often seasonal and local.

These are flowers at their peak: vibrant, fragrant, and deeply connected to the place where they were grown.

Supporting Slow Flowers

As part of the growing Slow Flowers movement, we believe flowers should be celebrated the same way we celebrate local food—seasonally, sustainably, and with appreciation for the growers behind them.

When you choose sustainable flowers grown in Victoria, BC, you’re investing in local farming, supporting environmentally responsible practices, and bringing home blooms with a story rooted in the soil beneath our feet.

Because the most beautiful flowers aren’t the ones that have travelled the furthest.

They’re the ones grown close to home.

Designers Choice From The Gardens Victoria BC Florist 286x300 - The Soul of the Soil: Why 'Grown-Not-Flown' Matters — Designers-Choice-From-The-Gardens-Victoria-BC-Florist

Shop This Week’s Garden-Fresh Pick

Discover what’s blooming now at Heath Gardens and experience the beauty of truly local, garden-fresh flowers. Freshly harvested, seasonally inspired, and grown right here on Vancouver Island. Our ” Designer’s Choice: From The Gardens” is the perfect choice when wanting to explore what is freshest and most beautiful in the gardens today!

February 11, 2026

The Psychology of Giving Flowers

Flowers have long been woven into the fabric of human expression, carrying meanings that go far beyond their vibrant colors and delicate petals. They speak a silent language—one that conveys emotions, tells stories, and connects us in ways words sometimes cannot. As we approach Valentine’s Day, a time traditionally associated with love and affection, it’s worth reflecting on why flowers hold such a special place in our hearts and minds.

At their core, flowers symbolize much more than beauty. Each bloom carries its own story, shaped by centuries of cultural traditions and personal associations. The Victorian language of flowers, for instance, was a complex system used to send coded messages through floral arrangements, allowing people to express feelings that society often forbade them to say aloud. Take the red rose, for example: it’s become synonymous with passionate love, yet its roots trace back to ancient myths and rituals celebrating desire and devotion. Similarly, lilies often represent purity and renewal, while sunflowers evoke warmth and happiness. This rich tapestry of meanings allows flowers to serve as a nuanced form of communication, capable of expressing feelings that might otherwise remain unspoken. For a detailed exploration of flower meanings, Foxgloves Flowers offers an excellent Meaning of Flowers page that delves into these symbolic traditions.

The emotional power of flowers lies in their ability to evoke memories and feelings instantly. A single bouquet can brighten a room, lift a spirit, or offer comfort during difficult times. Psychologists suggest that flowers have a unique way of triggering positive emotions because they engage multiple senses—their colors catch our eye, their scents stir our memories, and their presence creates a sense of connection. This sensory experience is why receiving flowers often feels like a deeply personal gesture, one that transcends the material and touches the soul.

What makes flowers especially profound is their ephemeral and fleeting beauty. Their delicate blooms remind us that beauty is temporary, urging us to pause and fully embrace the present moment. This transience is what gives flowers their unique power—they encourage mindfulness and appreciation for life’s fleeting joys. In a world that often rushes forward, flowers invite us to slow down, savor the here and now, and find meaning in the brief but beautiful experiences that shape our lives. This awareness of impermanence deepens the emotional impact of gifting and receiving flowers, making each moment shared with them feel all the more precious.

Gifting flowers taps into a universal human desire to connect and to express care. It’s an act that blends thoughtfulness with spontaneity, allowing the giver to communicate empathy, admiration, gratitude, or love without the pressure of finding the “perfect” words. The psychology behind this is fascinating: flowers can reduce stress, increase feelings of happiness, and even strengthen relationships by fostering feelings of appreciation and closeness. This is why, even beyond Valentine’s Day, flowers remain a timeless gift that resonates across cultures and generations.

As Valentine’s Day nears, it’s tempting to see flowers merely as tokens of romance. Yet, their true power lies in their versatility—their ability to express a spectrum of emotions and to celebrate all forms of connection, from friendship to self-love. Whether given in grand bouquets or simple sprigs, flowers remind us of the beauty in expressing what’s in our hearts, often when words fall short.

In a world that moves quickly and often feels disconnected, flowers offer a moment of pause—a chance to slow down, reflect, and share something meaningful. They invite us to appreciate the small wonders around us and to celebrate the bonds that enrich our lives. This Valentine’s Day, and every day, flowers remain a timeless symbol of the human experience, speaking softly but powerfully to the emotions that unite us all.

October 16, 2025

Winter 2025 Workshop Lineup

We are so excited to share Foxgloves Flowers’ 2025 Winter Workshop lineup with you—these sessions are truly a must-experience for anyone who loves nature, creativity, and a cozy, festive vibe. Every year, We look forward to this magical time when we gather to craft beautiful, fresh winter wreaths and swags that bring the spirit of the season right into our homes. Whether you’re new to floral design or a seasoned pro, these workshops are designed to be fun, welcoming, and inspiring.

What’s Waiting for You This Winter?

Wildwood Winter Wreath Workshop

Imagine spending a few hours surrounded by the fresh scent of cedar and pine, working with natural materials that feel like they’ve just been gathered from a quiet forest. This workshop is one of my favorites because it invites you to slow down and create something truly unique—your very own winter wreath inspired by the wild beauty of the West Coast. We keep the groups small so you get plenty of hands-on guidance and a chance to connect with others who share your love of nature and design. I’d love to see you at one of the sessions on November 15th, 22nd, or December 6th!

Book Your Spot NOW!

Holiday Door Swag Workshop at The Gorge Pavilion

If you want to add a personal, festive touch to your home or create a thoughtful gift, this workshop is perfect. You’ll get to play with fresh greenery and sparkling accents while soaking up the joyful holiday spirit. It’s relaxed, fun, and a wonderful way to kick off the season with friends or family. Join me on November 29th for one of the two sessions—I promise you’ll leave with a beautiful swag and a smile.

Book Your Spot NOW!

Whimsical Mushroom Wreath Workshop at The Gorge Pavilion

For those who love a little whimsy and woodland charm, this workshop is an absolute delight. You’ll craft a wreath bursting with moss, mushrooms, and fresh greenery—perfect for adding a playful touch to your winter décor. It’s a great way to meet new friends and enjoy a creative afternoon together on November 29th.

Book Your Spot NOW!

Why You’ll Love These Workshops

What I love most about these workshops is the sense of community and connection. We’re not just making decorations; we’re sharing stories, learning new skills, and celebrating the season’s natural beauty. All the materials are sustainably sourced and locally foraged, so each piece you create feels authentic and meaningful. Plus, the cozy atmosphere and seasonal scents make it a truly immersive experience.

I’d be thrilled to welcome you to one of these workshops and help you create something beautiful this winter. Spots fill up quickly, so be sure to and join us for a season of creativity, connection, and celebration.

Can’t wait to see you there!