If you had told founder Jennifer Fowlow five years ago that she would have been running a successful flower business, she would have laughed. Wild North Flowers is a Toronto-based flower arrangement company built on the creativity of a passionate team of talented florists. Garnering tons of public praise, and voted “Toronto’s Best Florist” in 2017, the team at Wild North has proved floral arrangements can be bold and exciting.
As consumers, we often become accustomed to purchasing that same generic bouquet found at our local corner store. Many also assume that gorgeous, high-quality arrangements are reserved for fancy events or weddings. Contrary to that, you can buy blooms for your home at floral shops like Wild North that prioritize locally-grown flowers while still being both affordable and beautiful. Whether you’re living in a Barbie dreamland or hygge hideaway, there’s something for everyone at this floral studio.
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Budding Inspiration
When it comes to colour combinations and design, there’s no beating the team at Wild North. From their quippy naming to the unconventional colour palettes, it’s no surprise this team has everyone on social media mesmerized. “Sometimes the name comes first, sometimes the arrangement inspires the name,” says Jennifer. “We are colour-obsessed, and we love creating unique and striking colour combinations.” Much of the inspo from Wild North stems from modern art, nature and their abundance of Instagram followers.
Popular colour combinations vary by season, but Jennifer’s favourite by far is a mix of butter, peach, burgundy and plum. However, when asked which arrangement she would craft for the Barbie movie, Jennifer says she would use “all the pink dahlias, anthurium, garden roses and cosmos with some smoke bush.” A Barbillionare blockbuster like Barbie deserves a perfectly pink arrangement, after all.
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How to Achieve a Floral-Filled Home
Choosing which flowers work best in your home is no easy feat — a myriad of factors come into play. “Sometimes floral arrangements can look like a big ball of mess if the right flowers aren’t picked,” says Jennifer. “Some types of berries, roses and other spray flowers can look quite messy if there aren’t lines for the eye to follow.” Jennifer recommends a variety of shapes, textures and lengths for the arrangement to feel full but not cluttered.
Popular flowers can include anything from roses to daisies, however in recent years, ranunculus have been stealing the show. Peonies, anthuriums and lisianthus are also great additions, according to Jennifer. If fresh florals aren’t your speed, opting for dried is just as beneficial — if not more! “Dried flowers last indefinitely, but they are delicate and have no scent,” she says. “They are great for longer-lasting decor pieces in your home or office space.” If you’re privy to both, Wild North builds arrangements that combine the beauty of dried and fresh for the ultimate statement piece.
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More Than a Bouquet
Wild North creates custom arrangements for birthdays, weddings, funerals and all sorts of celebrations in between. “It’s a true honour to be able to provide comfort in difficult times and help celebrate and memorialize life’s great moments,” says Jennifer. Being able to source locally grown flowers is definitely one of the highlights of Wild North’s business model as well. “We are super lucky to have such great local flowers available May through October from the Local Flower Collective.”
Creative Medium
“Flowers are a beautiful medium to work with, especially for those with a creative eye or a background in design,” says Jennifer. “But truly, the first and only requirement for starting your training in floral design is that you must love flowers, through and through.” Jennifer goes on to mention that you can’t be afraid of hard work and getting dirty. “It really isn’t a glamorous job — you are lifting heavy buckets all over the place, standing all day and doing lots of cleaning, but it is so worth it.”
Images curtesy of Wild North Flowers
