Meet the florist: Alice Shepherd

March 2023

Hello, flower lovers!

March heralds the arrival of autumn – which just happens to be our feature florist’s favourite season. Yes, Alice Shepherd, from She’s a Wildflower in Barwon Heads, VIC, loves autumnal colours and often uses them in her work. And I absolutely love how Alice designs wildly romantic arrangements in soft, earthy palettes; she has a great eye for textures and shapes that create visual depth. For me, her bouquets – which regularly showcase dahlias (her favourite flower), as well as ranunculuses, roses and orchids – are reminiscent of an enchanted secret garden.

Alice specialises in floral styling, offering an intimate, collaborative approach to design for her clients so that they’re assured of a distinctive look for their special day. She also works with lifestyle brands, magazines, designers and artists, and teaches workshops on flower arranging.

By posting photos of her gorgeous, vibrant and happy arrangements, she’s built a huge Instagram following, and also shares tips and information on all things flowers on her blog. Alice’s mantra is: ‘Mother Nature is my boss and I respect her greatly’, and it’s clear that Alice does just that.

Our flower for March is Alice’s favourite: the dahlia. Here’s what Alice had to say when I interviewed her for our 2023 Planner.

1. Which flower inspires you the most and why?

I don’t think it would come as a surprise to anyone looking at my Instagram feed that dahlias are one of my favourite flowers. There are so many different colours and varieties, making them such a versatile flower when working with a variety of colour palettes.

2. Can you share any fun facts about dahlias?

Dahlias come in many shapes and sizes, from the pom pom variety, which have blooms the size of a golf ball, to the giant decorative varieties with blooms the size of a dinner plate. Although dahlias grow and flower in the warmer months of the year, once they are cut they don’t like the heat or sun, so, like any flower, keep them in a cool room and out of direct sunlight.

3. Do you have any tips when styling dahlias?

My favourite season for flowers is autumn. I like the earthy tones, and the late-summer/early-autumn sun tends to fade the vibrancy of dahlias into a more subtle hue.

4. Any favourite combo you love to do when styling with dahlias?

Dahlias and autumn foliage are one of my favourite combinations.

You can find Alice’s website here and follow her on insta here.

Shannon x

SHOP THE DAHLIA COLLECTION