Bate wins state floristry award

While studying her Certificate III in floristry earlier this year, Sammy was selected as one of three representatives from Pearsons School of Floristry to take part in the NSW Flower Growers Student Scholarship Competition.

Each of the competitors was given a mystery box of flowers, a brief and one hour to create a table arrangement.

The competition was judged by floral sculptor Tracey Deep, Jamie Buckley from Neat Floral and Saskia Havekes from Grandiflora.

While the competition was held on August 31, winners were not announced until nearly a month later.

Sammy said she had “beautiful seasonal flowers” in her mystery box including hellebores, roses, eucalyptus gum, anemones, ranunculus and jasmine.

“It was not about winning for me. It was just for fun and opening the box of flowers they were beautiful,” she said.

“I think I was smiling the whole time.”

The 20-year-old has worked in Blooms of Bowral- located in Springetts Arcade- since she was 16.

She started working there under the previous owner Justine Warby sweeping the floor after school.

“Progressively she kept teaching me more and more about floristry and I realised how much I loved it.

“When Kathleen Drennan took over in 2015 she really pushed me to think about this as a career.”

Sammy has now won a scholarship to study a Certificate IV in floristry which she plans to do at Pearsons.

“I wouldn’t give up that opportunity after winning. I’ll definitely go back to Pearsons- they were fantastic and I really enjoyed me time there.”

Sammy said she hoped to eventually pursue a freelance career but had no plans to leave Blooms any time soon.

“I don’t see myself leaving the industry because I love botanics and flowers so much. I definitely want to involve myself in more floristry workshops.

“I think if you have an artistic eye and you love what you do, I don’t think you can go wrong. Plus you’re working with such beautiful materials it’s hard to do a bad job.”