Флористка из Сонинг-Комона получила место в престижной европейской школе цветоводства

04:28PM, Tuesday 25 August 2026 Pictured: L-R Lauren Densham and Erica Cunningham with some of Lauren's original designs made on the course A FLORIST in Sonning Common is celebrating after one of her team landed a coveted place at a prestigious European Floristry School. Lauren Densham, who works at Brambles & Botanicals in Wood Lane, entered the competition with owner Erica Cunningham. This was set by Oasis Floral Products, which challenged florists to showcase its new plant-based floral foam. Mrs Cunningham said: “We sent a reel in and never thought anything of it.” But the entry impressed the judges and Mrs Densham, who was nominated by Mrs Cunningham to attend, went to Sheffield for a three-day place at the European Floristry School, hosted by the British Florist Association. Mrs Densham has been with Brambles & Botanicals for 18 months, having joined the team as a novice. “I did a wedding and a funeral for a friend and sourced all my flowers from Erica and Kerry and it made me think I’d like to do this and I joined the team soon after,” she said. The mum of four spent the course learning from some of the biggest names in international floristry, including Daniel Santamaria, Ffion Taverner and Stefan van Berio, alongside florists and growers from across the UK. “I enjoyed learning from really top designers and meeting really top people within the industry,” said Mrs Densham. “It was a major opportunity,” she added, describing the skills she picked up as something which also validated the solid foundations she had already gained through her experience there. The course proved to be rather different from simply arranging flowers in a vase. On her first day, Mrs Densham learned how to dye fabric using natural dyes made from flowers, grown and cut by Hael Natural Colour in Pembrokeshire with the final two days focusing on design techniques. The experience has already opened another door for Mrs Densham, who has subsequently been offered an online apprenticeship. The competition was launched by Oasis Floral Products to promote its new plant-based floral foam, which has been developed as a more sustainable alternative to traditional floral foam. The move comes as the floristry industry faces increasing pressure to reduce its environmental impact, with organisations including the Church of England and the National Trust supporting restrictions on the use of traditional floral foam. Mrs Cunningham believes the new product could offer florists another option while also helping them to work more efficiently with flowers. “For decades the whole industry has been geared to using the original Oasis,” she said. “And we just can’t have a blanket ban on the product. “Oasis enables florists to use fewer flowers — which could be very expensive and very difficult to grow — and to display them in a way that prolongs their longevity. Hopefully the newer, more sustainable version will carry on offering this.” She added: “Lauren is one of our amazing team members and I’m thrilled for her. It’s a fantastic opportunity and she’s come back with lots of ideas that we will use here in the shop.” But Brambles & Botanicals is about more than flowers. Mrs Densham said customers regularly turn to Mrs Cunningham for advice about their plants, with the shop having become something of a local source of plant-saving tips. She does not mind being the main point of contact for people in the village and beyond when it comes to helping their plants, and particularly enjoys the conversations that happen when people come into the shop. Mrs Cunningham added: “Last week two men came in separately for things and left after having met and had a great conversation about local honey making.” Most read Top Articles A MAN is unhappy after he was fined for parking across a dropped kerb in Wargrave. A couple who built their own rowing boat to travel along the River Thames stopped off in Henley. THE managers of a community-owned pub in Crazies Hill are moving on after nine months.