Jaine Blackman meets a woman with a passion for British blooms who is sharing her talents with a series of floral workshops

Severe hayfever – enough to trigger an asthma attack – might be enough to put most people off being a florist but not Jo Wise.

“I get terrible hay fever, I’m horribly allergic but I couldn’t be without flowers,” says mum-of-two Jo, 43, of Swyncombe Valley near Wallingford.

“I love being around them. They can lift your spirits and fill your heart with wonder.

“They make people happy and that is a very powerful thing.”

So, dosed with antihistamines, she has managed to pursue the career closest to her heart... although it wasn’t the one she originally set out to do.

“I sort of slid into floristry from my event design business,” she says.

“I trained at Wimbledon School of Art and got a BA Hons in theatre design, graduating in 1992.

“While I was designing for theatre and film, I was approached by an event company to start designing big parties and worked in both those industries for about 15 years before focusing entirely on floristry.

“The event side led me to meet a fabulously creative florist called Phylidda Holbeach whose style was wild and free with arrangements I found dynamic and inspirational. She taught me to see flowers in a different way and not follow any rules.

“My first floristry job was in 1996, I was actually there draping a lavish entrance for a rock star’s wedding, Phylidda needed an extra pair of hands and I happily jumped on board.

“From that day on I was hooked.”

Since then she has turned the ceiling of a ballroom into a milky way of orchids for a supermodel’s 30th; created temples of mock orange for a rock-star’s Secret Garden wedding; tamed fragrant roses into huge chandeliers for a royal jeweler’s launch party; brought a wild flower garden to life inside an hotel and worked with plenty of brides to arrange garden flowers for homespun countryside weddings.

“With a background in set design for theatre, I tend to look at flowers in a different way to conventionally trained florists,” says Jo. “This dramatic approach is rooted in an understanding of their natural beauty.”

In 2008, she co-founded Green and Gorgeous, a flower farm and florist partnership in Oxfordshire, but struck out on her own earlier this year starting a new company called Floral Circus designing weddings and events but also offering workshops and floral parties.

“I enjoyed every minute of working at Green and Gorgeous but I am a creative person and felt it was time to set up a new brand that allowed me to go back to my theatrical roots.”

“I can’t believe how well it’s going. It’s been incredible to be getting such a positive response from both growers and customers,” says Jo.

“I’ve enjoyed designing my new studio [at Oakley Wood Farm, Benson] and hosting workshops there. My first floral party was great fun – eight ladies joined me for a wrist corsage tutorial, cream tea and hand massage.

“It was lovely to see everyone having such a good time.”

Jo specialises in using British flowers and uses local growers – who she calls her bloom brigade – to produce seasonal arrangements and displays.

“I feel quite differently about imported flowers, my love affair is with garden flowers,” says Jo.

“I source my flowers from various local gardens, offering a wider selection and working with many new varieties. It’s exciting to be meeting so many new growers. There is always more to learn and be inspired by.”

As part of her new venture Jo is taking to the road with her “travelling Floral Circus” with pop up floristry events around Oxfordshire and the home counties.

“My plan for the future is to get a painted caravan, fill it with flowers and take it on the road to boutique festivals and private parties,” says Jo.

“From the caravan I’ll do pop up workshops in flower crowns, flower necklaces and garlands. All live events such as circus, theatre, a festival or party are bubbles of magic – moments in time with lasting effects.

“That’s also flowers for me. Ephemeral beauty that dazzles and then it’s gone. I’ve always loved that about them.”