Jardine Hansen on top floral trends and why we really love flowers in the home

Domain speaks with Jardine Hansen, founder of Jardine Botanic Floral Styling, to catch a glimpse inside her world.

Q: What are your earliest memories of plants?

A: My nan was an incredible gardener who used to teach me all the names of plants in the garden when I was little.

She had such a green thumb and a reverence for nature, which has influenced me.

Q: The name Jardine is derived from the French “jardin”, meaning garden. Do you think you were destined to work with plants – or did you have a canny name change along the way?

A: No name change! I can credit the prescience to my mum. My closest friends call me Garden, which always makes me smile.

Q: How did you come to start your business, Jardine Botanic Floral Styling?

A: I was inspired to start my business by a dear florist friend from New York named Nicolette Camille. Her ingenuity gave me the courage five years ago to take the leap from studying sports science and nutrition at university to starting my business.

Looking back, I can’t imagine having taken a different path. It all felt so natural. Most of my work is in events, editorials and creating arrangements for private homes and corporate spaces by appointment in Tasmania, Sydney, the Blue Mountains and beyond.

My studios are in Hunters Hill in Sydney and Longley in Tasmania.

Q: What does a typical day involve?

A: The best days are market days. That means waking up at 4.15am to get to market and choose armfuls of beautiful seasonal flowers and foliage, chat to the growers and florist friends then get back to my studio to arrange and deliver the flowers.

The hours can be tough and long but it’s a rewarding job. The beauty of flowers is endlessly inspiring.

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Q: How have people’s tastes in floral arrangements changed?

A: My clients have definitely moved away from structured, overly contrived arrangements. They’re interested in a natural style where the flowers retain more of the spontaneity found in the garden.

Q: What sort of flowers do you love to have in your own home?

A: I adore scented flowers and foliage as well as cold-climate specimens. At the moment, I have a gorgeous bunch of blush sweet pea flannel flower and some lime-scented geranium from my garden on my desk. I also tend to enjoy long-lasting branches such as tall banskia or magnolia, which add a bit of drama to a room.

Q: How do you cultivate relationships with your private residential clients?

A: I tend to rely on word of mouth and my Instagram page @jardinebotanic, where many of my clients have found me. I have an initial meeting to get a sense of the space and the client’s likes and dislikes.

I always tailor my work to each space and the client’s requests but I do find my best work happens when I am given a bit of freedom to choose the best things at market rather than keeping to a narrow selection of flowers. I am very lucky to have clients who trust me to do my best work.

I find the style usually remains fairly constant but also responds to the seasons and what is looking great at different times of the year.

Q: Why do people love to have flowers in their homes? Is it purely decorative or is there something deeper at play?

A: Flowers bring people joy. They can lift the mood of a space so readily. They recall a sometimes-overlooked relationship with nature that I think is very important.

I also find that flowers – scented ones in particular – have strong nostalgic connotations.