Willow Crossley - Create Academy

About the course

Leading florist Willow Crossley gives you unique insight into how she arranges, grows and sources flowers and plants, both for herself and professionally. The classes offer simple ways to bring nature into our homes throughout the year, as well as breaking down the techniques, tools, suppliers and varieties she uses to create her stunning arrangements, whether for special events or in your own home.

24 video lessons

You’ll spend over five hours with Willow, broken down into 10 to 15 minute episodes, allowing you to develop your knowledge and style. You’ll learn her methods directly from her Oxfordshire workshop.

Exclusive content

Throughout the course Willow equips you with the key principles used in floristry as well as practical step-by-step guidance, from a simple table arrangement to a show-stopping wedding centrepiece.

Downloadable guide

Willow’s favourite flowers, containers and tips are listed in a series of downloadable workbooks, so what you’ve learnt on the course stays with you. Seasonal alternatives to the flowers Willow works with are also listed, so you can be guided by her all year round.

About Willow Crossley

Willow Crossley is a professional floral stylist, creating wild and whimsical arrangements full of colour, pattern and movement for an array of top British brands (Jo Malone, OKA). She is the author of four books and is regularly featured in House & Garden and many other publications. Willow is passionate about the profound impact nature can have on how we feel, and has gained a substantial following for her down-to-earth and inclusive approach to floristry and gardening. Willow firmly advocates a sustainable approach to floristry, working with the seasons and sourcing locally grown stems wherever possible.

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Lesson Plan

Other lessons will be added to this course later this year – at no additional charge – to cover autumn and winter in the florist’s year. If you have specific areas you would like Willow to teach please let us know before September 1st.

Meet Willow

Willow welcomes you to the course and explains what first drew her to floristry, as well as why working with flowers isn’t just aesthetic; it can also have a profound impact on how you feel.

Finding inspiration and developing your floral style

Willow breaks down the florists she is most inspired by, and encourages you to develop confidence and style by slowly building your taste. She also explains how by allowing yourself to be inspired by nature and its imperfections, your arrangements will in turn be more magical.

The Essentials

Willow reveals her favourite floristry tools for use at home and events, including the best types of wire, tape, secateurs, string, pins, “frogs” and chicken wire.

Where and when to source your flowers - Willow’s seasonal guide

Sourcing good flowers within season is key to your arrangements. Willow reveals how to find the best growers local to you and where to go if you need large quantities of out of season flowers. This lesson’s notebook also lists Willow’s favourite seasonal flowers to use, month by month.

Vases & containers

The container is almost as central to your arrangements as the flowers themselves. Discover how to choose the right container for different styles of arrangement as Willow breaks down her process: from sourcing to shape to proportion.

Conditioning - getting the best out of your flowers and foliage

Understand how to bring the best out of your arrangements as Willow walks you through the most effective ways to condition and prepare different varieties of flowers.

Sourcing from nature part 1: using seeds to get the most out of your garden

Willow breaks down how to get the most out of your garden for your floristry, taking you through her favourite flower seed varieties, how to grow them, how to use them in your garden and why a green house is far from essential.

Sourcing from nature part 2: using bulbs to get the most out of your garden

Coming soon.

Dahlias part 1: early spring

Willow takes you through various different types of dahlia, her favourite styles, which ones work best for weddings and how best to plant your tubers.

Dahlias part 2: late summer

Coming soon

Making a simple bouquet

Willow teaches you one of the core skills of floristry – making a hand-tied bouquet.

Working with frogs - a small arrangement

Willow breaks down how to use frogs – the simplest, most elegant and most sustainable solution to giving smaller arrangements structure.

An arrangement for your table

Our first arrangement using chicken wire – perfectly dress your table as Willow teaches you how to use foliage to give structure in this central piece using a simple pudding bowl. Willow also introduces you to one of her favourite foliages: wild currant.

How to make a table runner

Willow runs you through how to make a table runner.

Wedding flowers part 1: spring and summer button holes

By explaining how to choose the right flowers for button holes, Willow helps you to then make some that are beautifully simple.

Sourcing from nature part 2: spring branches

Discover how to use spring branches – where to source them, how to condition them, which containers work best with them and where to place them in your arrangements.

Working with tulips

Willow explains why tulips are often overlooked, and then walks you through an arrangement that brings them to life.

Mixing flowers in larger arrangements

Learn how to mix varieties flowers as Willow walks you through this beautiful piece using spirea, fritillaries, foxgloves, guelder rose and Solomon’s seal. The notes list other options for this arrangement should you be doing it at another time of year.

A small summer centrepiece

From years of experience Willow breaks down how chicken wire allows you to use containers that you might not usually consider, and shows you how to arrange a simple summer centrepiece using clematis, sweet peas and euphorbia. The notes list other options for this arrangement should you be doing it at another time of year.

Working with geraniums

Willow walks you through how best to take a geranium cutting, and how to look after geraniums so they thrive in your home.

Wedding flowers part 2: the perfect bouquet

The bouquet is central to a wedding. Willow shows you how to mix foliage and flowers to make the perfect bouquet, and gives you some tips on how to choose, condition and bind the flowers that work the best.

Wedding flowers part 3: the centrepiece

Willow runs you through what makes the perfect vase for a centrepiece, then takes you step-by-step through her process for making a magnificent arrangement. The notes list other options for this arrangement should you be doing it at another time of year.

Being a professional florist: a guide to sourcing, budgeting and managing events

Willow advises you about the best way in to floristry professionally.

Summary

Willow finishes by explaining that floristry is an ongoing process; one that if made part of your life can bring real contentment.

Show Full Lesson Plan

FAQs

When does the course start and finish?

The course is available to pre-order now, and will be released at the end of June. It is a self-paced online course – you decide when you start and when you finish.

How long do I have access for?

How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like – across any and all devices you own.

How do I watch the course?

You can watch the course on our online platform available through your browser, or if you’re on your phone or tablet by downloading our app – called Teachable.

Can I take the course if I don’t live in the UK?

Yes – our courses are available internationally.

What if I am unhappy with the course?

If you are unsatisfied with the course for any reason, contact us in the first 14 days on the email below or via the contact form and we will give you a full refund.

Can I order Willow’s course as a gift for someone?

Yes! The best way is to go to our gifting page by clicking on the button below.

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