Introducing: The Flower Farming Masterclass

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From Seed to Centrepiece : A New Chapter at the UK School of Floristry.

Three days.  Three tutors.  One extraordinary journey, from sowing your first seed to creating your own hand-tied bouquet using flowers you’ve gathered with your own hands.

For those who long to grow their own flowers and create with the seasons- the Flower Farming Masterclass is now open, exclusively at Joseph Massie’s UK School of Floristry.

This September, I’m thrilled to introduce a brand new in-person experience at the UK School of Floristry : The Flower Farming Masterclass.

For the first time, we’re bringing together the full journey of growing and designing with your own seasonal flowers in one immersive, hands-on course.  Whether you’re working with a few raised beds or a small patch of land, this Masterclass is designed to help you plan, sow, grow, cut, and design with confidence.

Why this course, and why now?

Two of the questions I’m asked most often are:
Where do you source your flowers?
And how do I source sustainably?

It’s always asked with curiosity, and often, quiet longing for a more connected, seasonal, and meaningful way to work with flowers.

I understand that longing.  Because there’s something incredibly powerful about creating designs that don’t begin with a wholesaler, but with a seed.  With a relationship to the land.  With a connection to the grower, or perhaps, becoming the grower yourself.

I always advocate for working with local farms and growers wherever possible and this course takes that one step further.

More and more florists and flower lovers are beginning to ask:
What if I could grow them myself?

This Masterclass is our answer to that wondering, proof that your seed-to-centrepiece dream is possible.

Led by Clare Ashcroft, Carol Siddorn, and Joseph Massie, the Flower Farming Masterclass unfolds over three enriching days across two stunning locations: our greenhouse-like studio in Manchester and Carol’s working flower farm in the Cheshire countryside.

Each tutor leads a dedicated day, guiding you through the full cycle of small-scale flower farming and floral design.

• You’ll begin with the foundations : planning your growing space, understanding succession planting, and mapping out a productive year.

• Next, you’ll head to the fields : learning seed sowing, propagation techniques, farm layout and maintenance, before harvesting your own flowers.

• On the final day, you’ll return to the studio and design with the very stems you gathered : creating bunches, bouquets, centrepieces, and personal flowers using sustainable, foam-free methods and your own hand-harvested blooms.

Who is this course for?

This course is for florists, designers, and growers who want to get closer to their materials, whether you’re dreaming of cultivating a home cutting garden or growing for your floral business.

We’ll focus on commercially viable cutting gardens, ranging from small backyard plots to half an acre. You’ll leave with the tools, knowledge and confidence to grow and design with intention, and a renewed connection to the work you create.

You’ll be studying alongside Joseph Massie, fresh off his experience representing the UK at the Floral Art World Cup, Clare, and Carol,  two growers  we deeply admire,  and guided through every step of the journey: planning, sowing, propagating, harvesting, and designing.  All taught through the lens of seasonality, sustainability, and beauty.

Unlike anything we’ve offered before, this course takes place both in the studio and in the fields, grounding you not only in technique, but in purpose.

Because there’s something almost magical about placing a flower in a design and knowing exactly where it came from.
You didn’t just choose it, you grew it.  You waited for it.  You nurtured it.
And now, you’re creating with it.

Want to see what inspired this course? Take a look at the short video below, filmed in Carol’s Garden in the spring.

This Masterclass is about more than just growing flowers.

It’s about understanding your materials on a deeper level.
It’s about sourcing more sustainably, designing more intuitively, and building a practice that’s both creatively fulfilling and commercially grounded.

We’re keeping the class size small, just 10 students per session, to ensure an intentional, supportive atmosphere and plenty of personal guidance.

If you’re ready to take your next step as a grower, florist, or flower lover, we'd love to welcome you.

Learn more and book your place here.

Let’s grow something truly beautiful, together.

Team JM at UKSOF