Home Work: A day with florist with Fleur McHarg

Floral designer and event stylist Fleur McHarg sometimes doesn’t know which timezone she is in.

With events, weddings, and photoshoots dotted across the globe, it’s near impossible to follow a routine in an industry that is powered on the last minute.

“So many things change, so many things come up at the last minute and we are working with fresh flowers, so we have to be flexible,” says Fleur.

“As a creative, I’m at my best when I’m under pressure, when there is some level of chaos.”

It’s an approach she extends to family life, too, saying: “Especially as a parent … you have to go with the flow.”

The ability to keep stress to a minimum while upholding an ever-changing and surprising schedule may be more of a personal attribute than a mimicable secret.

“I have been doing this for almost 26 years and survived because it suits my personality and I love adrenaline – that is what I live for.”

WORKING ROUTINE

Morning

When I wake up depends on how late I went to bed the night before, but I always start my mornings with coffee and a cheeky ciggie before checking emails. I will rarely eat breakfast – sometimes a banana on the go.

Somewhere in between, I will do brain training – I never exercise my body, but I exercise my mind.

Mid-morning

Depending on whether I’m in Melbourne or interstate or overseas, often I’ll go into the warehouse and if we haven’t got a job on that morning we will sit down and have a debrief about any events coming up.

People think we play with flowers and they underestimate how much hard work it is. It’s gone far past being some flowers on a table – it’s physical work, it’s long hours, it’s a lot of thinking.

Afternoon

In the afternoon we might have a client come into the warehouse to chat about a job, but most days when it is reasonable I will have a gin and tonic at the office.

There is always a lot to be done because I do the design, the lighting, the tables, all the styling and interiors [at events], so I will spend a lot of time coming up with concepts and creating storyboards.

I’m also writing another book so I’ll work on that whenever I can fit it in.

Evening

During the week the kids are at boarding school and my husband is away working on the farm, so I can do a lot more for myself in the evenings. I also don’t have to do any cooking, I’ll just have something really simple to eat. I feel like I’m in my 20s again!

My release at the end of the day is studying chakras and numerology – it’s fascinating working on myself spiritually.

Some nights I’ll stay up with my laptop in bed creating a mood board or finishing a tender that has to be in the next day.

Bedtime

Before sleep, I use an app on my phone to hypnotise myself for different things in preparation for the next day – be it for energy or focus or rest.

Going with the flow tip:

When you work for yourself and also have two teenage children, something’s got to give. For me, my kids are divine and my clients are happy and the work speaks for itself, but the house is a disgrace!

Madeleine Dore is a freelance writer and the creator of Extraordinary Routines.

@extraordinary_routines