How to Become a Floral Designer: Lessons from Aidan Weinrib
Floral design is more than just arranging flowers—it's an art, a business, and a way to tell meaningful stories. Whether you're a budding floral artist or a business owner looking to add creativity to your brand, learning from others who’ve built successful creative businesses can offer great insights.
In this interview, we chat with Aidan Weinrib, founder of Things From Gardens in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She shares her journey to becoming a floral designer, the challenges she's faced, and the lessons she's learned along the way.
Tell us about your work.
I am a studio-based floral designer exploring the endless possibilities of floral art. I think of plants as a sculptural medium, using them to craft compelling visual stories and immersive experiences.
My work ranges from one-of-a-kind installations to events, weddings, and custom arrangements—each piece a collaboration between my vision, my clients, and the materials themselves.
How did you get started in floral design?
My love for floral design and foraging began in 2020. During lockdown, I craved a creative outlet and a deeper connection to nature, so I started collecting bits of plants from alleyways, overgrown gardens, and vacant lots in my Vancouver neighborhood. I would send photos of my finds and creations to my mom in Toronto as a way to stay connected, and she encouraged me to start an Instagram account.
As I shared my work, I became obsessed with learning more—diving into YouTube tutorials, vintage ikebana books, and constant experimentation. Designing with plants became a creative cocoon, a space where time melted away and I could hold reverence for the small, overlooked beauties of the natural world.
How did you scale up Things From Gardens?
For a few years, I balanced assisting local florists on installations and events with a demanding job in tech. But in 2023, burnout pushed me to leave my role, and floral design became my safety net. At first, I thought I’d return to tech, but when a friend offered me her studio to sublet, I decided to take the leap and see if I could make florals my full-time work.
Now, I work out of a studio in a building shared with other visual artists in East Vancouver. Being surrounded by artists has deeply influenced my creative process, reinforcing my approach to floral design as an evolving art form. My studio is both a workspace and a gathering place—a site for experimentation, collaboration, and the kind of slow, intentional making that first drew me to this craft.
2024 marks my first full year of running Things From Gardens full-time, and I’m continuously amazed by the collaborations, commissions, and creative opportunities that have come my way.
How would you describe your brand?
Things From Gardens is rooted in the idea that floral design is more than just arranging flowers—it’s about storytelling, atmosphere, and transformation. My work blends wild, foraged materials with cultivated blooms, creating designs that feel both unexpected and deeply connected to nature. I embrace imperfection, seasonality, and the fleeting nature of flowers, always seeking beauty in what’s overlooked. My brand is intentional, artful, and a little bit wild—balancing refinement with the raw, organic movement of nature.
“My brand is intentional, artful, and a little bit wild—balancing refinement with the raw, organic movement of nature.”
What do you love most about floral design?
I love the process of working with my hands—gathering materials, composing shapes, and seeing something ephemeral take form. There’s a kind of alchemy in floral design, where texture, color, and movement come together to create something that exists only for a moment.
I also love the connections that flowers foster—whether it’s creating for a wedding, an art installation, or a simple arrangement for someone’s home, flowers have a way of marking time and holding meaning in people’s lives. It will always be a deep honour to be invited to translate feelings into something tangible for others.
What challenges have you faced in your journey?
The biggest challenge has been learning how to navigate the unpredictability of running a creative business—balancing artistry with sustainability, both financially and personally.
Flowers are inherently fleeting, and so is the work in many ways; there are busy seasons and slow ones, and I’ve had to learn to trust that the next opportunity will come.
Finding my own rhythm, setting boundaries, and allowing space for both creativity and rest have been ongoing lessons.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to become a floral designer?
Start before you feel ready. Experiment, share your work, don’t be afraid to learn in public. My journey began with curiosity, foraging in my neighborhood, and sharing what I was making with a tiny Instagram audience. That small act of putting my work out there opened doors I couldn’t have planned for. Stay open to where the process leads, and trust that your unique perspective has value.
Where can people reach you?
You can reach me at thingsfromgardens.com or on Instagram at @things_from_gardens, where I share my latest floral work, creative process, and behind-the-scenes moments from my studio.
About This Series
This blog series highlights entrepreneurs and creatives who are building impactful brands. Each feature is designed to provide insight, inspiration, and actionable takeaways for founders and creatives looking to grow their businesses. Subscribe to our newsletter to discover more stories of creatives turning their vision into reality.
