Nest and Thistle

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Nest and Thistle For the love of flowers. Slowly starting my own thing after 15 years of floristing

01/10/2026

Packing a vehicle for an event install is a puzzle in itself.

I made these nesting plinths to give maximum display height on-site while taking up half the boot space on the way there. Light to transport, easy to move, and complete with recycled blanket covers to protect the finish in transit.

It’s so hard to choose, but Crab Apple has to be one of my absolute favourite blossoms.The way the buds start out a deep...
29/09/2026

It’s so hard to choose, but Crab Apple has to be one of my absolute favourite blossoms.
The way the buds start out a deep, saturated pink, and then before you know it, the blooms open up until the whole tree looks like a cloud of soft white. I love that hint of fresh green leaves showing through the petals. To me, it just screams peak spring.

27/09/2026

Heirloom plants hit a little differently.

This Angel Wing Begonia started as a single leaf cutting from my mum, which she took from her mum’s plant years ago.

It’s thriving in front of my big kitchen window, and this single massive cluster of blooms has been going strong for months now (with a fresh second cluster just starting to peek out at the back.

I just love it! Sentimental AND low maintenance!

25/09/2026

I try to get to as many gardens as I can find time for—you never know what’s going to strike your fancy or spark inspiration in a completely new way.

We brought our bikes this time and rode around the grounds, which was the best way to take it all in. While the paper daisy beds at Mount Annan are the main drawcard (and justifiable so!) I found myself lingering in the quieter sections looking at the color and texture pairings tucked along the paths.

That electric purple Eremophila against the bright yellow Verticordia was such a standout. And the blue Lechenaultia instantly took me right back home to the Perth Hills.

Sometimes the best studio inspiration comes from slowing down and looking just past the main attraction.

22/09/2026

Left to float in a pond overnight under a clear September sky.

A relief waking up at dawn to find my mooring secure, fresh blooms, glassy reflections, and morning light—shared mostly with early morning dogs and a few curious ducks.

A gentle reminder to myself: flowers don’t always have to be my professional medium.When you work with stems every day, ...
21/09/2026

A gentle reminder to myself: flowers don’t always have to be my professional medium.

When you work with stems every day, it’s easy to stay locked in “florist mode”—making sure everything is perfectly conditioned, wired, taped, and anchored to a water source to last for a client.

So yesterday, a friend and I took ourselves back to childhood. We parked ourselves on a blanket under a blooming crab apple tree with baskets of fresh cuttings from our gardens and just played.

No water, no wire, no tape—nothing I would ever do for a commercial job, and nothing designed to last beyond the hours we spent enjoying the process.

When the blooms inevitably started to wilt in the afternoon heat, we through them in the nearby pond. I even anchored them there overnight to try and keep them for the equinox sunrise.

19/09/2026

I do this every year when I prune my thornless Banksia rose.

This year’s trim had to happen a little early because she was invading the neighbor’s driveway, but oh well—just in time for a Spring Equinox wreath.

The technique
Plait for length: Braid long stems together, continuously feeding in new pieces to extend the length.

Form the ring: Bring the braid around to form your initial circle.

Wind in one direction: Insert new stems directly into the braid, always winding in the same direction to build structural strength and visual flow.

Shape as you go: A gentle bounce against your stomach or the ground helps round out the shape and settle the stems into place.

next up, we decorate!

The very first bloom on my little white Waratah bush has arrived.I planted it next to the Pieris, dreaming of the day th...
17/09/2026

The very first bloom on my little white Waratah bush has arrived.

I planted it next to the Pieris, dreaming of the day their textures would meet in early spring. The Waratah has a long way to go before it catches up, as I planted the Pieris eight years ago, (bit of a head start) but it will get there and watching this first bloom open confirms the one day vision.

14/09/2026

Forget-me-nots en masse, or woven into a mix? Which do you prefer?

I can never quite decide. When I’m picking straight from the garden, I’m usually a “make a place for everything” kind of girl, but there is something so charming about those tiny blue blooms left entirely on their own.

Tell me—are you team mono-botanical, or team garden mix?

12/09/2026

That final placement.

A low, heavy bowl packed with pale hellebores, daphne, and cascading Pieris.

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Katoomba, NSW
2780

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