It was Valerie who teenager Natalie asked for a Saturday job when she was leaving school. In a few short years she was entered into the 2006 UKSkills contest and her prize-winning talent took her on to the 2007 WorldSkills competition in Shizouka, beside Mount Fuji, Japan’s tallest mountain.
There she competed with florists from 16 countries among competitors from 48 nations, finishing in fourth place.
Valerie Barnes, who joined her mother-in-law’s business in 1963 and took over in 1979, is delighted with her protégé’s success: “Natalie started off cleaning floors and washing pots and I’ve really seen her grow up from a schoolgirl and as a florist. She was always enthusiastic, enjoyed the work, wanted to go to college and progress, and she focused well on the commercial side of the business, learning to work within a budget.
Natalie has very sound thinking, she has learned to be organised - for example going out to do flowers for a wedding - and above all she is lovely with everybody.
Her training and success has a knock on effect for everyone at Elizabeth Floral Art, she brings us all the new ideas and passes them on.
Individual florists are up against the supermarkets now and it’s all about presentation when flowers go out of our shops. A bouquet should be a beautiful gift and that artistic flair is part of the importance of training. Everything that goes out of here is an advertisement for the business.
She benefits from us and we benefit from her, especially the publicity. People recognise and ask for Natalie in the shop. When people want something special we are the first place they turn to. She’s a star.”
Natalie takes up the story: “I knew I wanted to do something creative but really started the Saturday job for the money. Then a girl who was a fantastic florist started here and I was really inspired by her designs. She had trained at Reaseheath College at Nantwich, where I went later to do a BTEC First Diploma, then my National Diploma and the new ICSF Level 4 qualification in floristry. It was one of our lecturers who asked if I would like to do the UKSkills competition - I didn’t know then that it was going to be a life changing experience.
We had to work hard to get to world class level and through regional and national heats that involved working on a number of tasks each time. These could include bouquets, a buttonhole, body adornments, bridal arrangements and something for a soprano’s dressing room. It was standard floristry but it felt difficult!
I was one of five regional winners who went to the UK final in London where the theme was Carmen the opera. Carmen liked to have roses rather than wear perfume so I made a necklace of roses.
Then there was the selection of the UK team for Japan and that included making a Japanese mask out of flowers. They chose 22 people for the team, representing 21 skills. I was one of two finalists for the UK florist place and we had to do eight tasks, including the last (and worst!) - you’re given a surprise package and the judges even watch your reaction to the materials as you open the box. Mine included chopsticks and a wok but also beautiful Grand Prix red roses. I scored 99 out of 100 and the judges said they struggled to knock off a mark…
Working towards Japan was hard work but great. I had finished college so I worked seven days a week for about nine months. I was helped by some of the world’s best.
Japan was amazing. There were so many nationalities we communicated using little picture cards. It was amazing meeting so many people and seeing their work. For the 16 florists there were £33,000 worth of flowers. It was like being a kid in a sweetshop! I recognised most of the flowers, but some of the local foliage was amazing.
This time there were 10 tasks including one which involved two vases and I did my arrangement with the flowers on the outside, and I made a chandelier out of willow that was twice as big as me. I came fourth and was one of only three people awarded a Medallion of Excellence.
Doing this has given me a real head start in my career. I had support from everyone at Elizabeth Floral Art, my family, customers and friends. It has brought attention to my work and the business from customers - new, repeat and regulars.
Through this training and experience, my range has increased enormously, I’m more confident doing something new and more creative.
I have worked with Ian Lloyd, who’s an industry ambassador for this country and runs a floristry school in his shop in Wilmslow, Sarah Horne from Leamington Spa and I spent five days taking a workshop with Gregor Lersch, who’s known as the best florist in the world, in his garden in Germany. There I was working with people from 35 countries which means you see so much.
I would definitely recommend taking part if you get an opportunity to compete in something like UKSkills or WorldSkills. But you can’t do anything like this without the basics. You have to be qualified to be a florist today. Even now, I wouldn’t feel comfortable asking for money for my work if I wasn’t properly qualified.”
