Say it with flowers: Floristry tips for savvy superyacht stewardesses

Nothing sets off a beautiful superyacht interior like fresh flowers and beautiful bouquets, and there are endless possibilities for creating incredible arrangements.

While stunning superyacht florists are often employed to lend a helping hand in the supply of fresh flowers, flower arranging is also more often than not a key role for the superyacht stew or stewardess. With this in mind, Yachting Pages takes a look at the key fundamentals of floristry on board a superyacht.

Finding the perfect flower arrangements for your superyacht

First, look at the overall interior of the yacht and then focus on the room; what flowers would be best suited to the ambience and design? Do you want bold, bright colours that bring a room to life, or muted tones to offset a neutral and elegant interior?

If you’re struggling for inspiration, there are a million sources of inspiration online. Pinterest and Facebook groups are a great place to start, with an abundance of images to scroll through. You can also find a range of yacht crew blogs and forums.

You may even want to take inspiration from your local surroundings when trying to come up with ideas. Locally sourced flowers can make your arrangement stand out, and there is so much variety depending on your location, whether making your way around the Med or cruising the Caribbean.

As an example, if you do happen to be in the Caribbean, tropical flowers are perfect for making a statement on board, and you can choose from all manner of floral delights, from St. Martin/Maarten’s West Indian Lantana and the Barbados Lily, to Hibiscus or Amaryllis flowers.

However, the Med and other well-known yachting destinations will also have an array of wild and wonderful flowers, but if you’re not sure where to begin, consult a local florist in the area.

Creating a fantastic floral arrangement on board

Once you’ve found your flowers, you need to think about how and where to arrange them on board. Whether you’re consulting a professional florist or going solo, you’ll need to have a good idea of what arrangements would work well in each room.

When arranging your flowers, including a range of different colours, shapes and textures helps to create a striking arrangement, and be sure to use variations of depth and height on your flowers.

It’s also a good idea to leave the best until last, so use your filler flowers first to create shape and height, before adding the stems that you want to really stand out. If you’re struggling to bring everything together, look at handy tips and tricks such as flower frogs – small holders which help to keep all the different flowers in place, as there’s nothing sadder than a droopy bouquet!

To see some flower arrangement in action, take a look at our YouTube playlist of floristry tips and tricks.

Beyond the centrepiece: Using floristry for special events on a luxury yacht

If you’re decorating for a special occasion on board, let the flowers complement your theme, including the furniture and tableware. Taking these individual elements into account can really help you to hone your ideas of what flowers will work.

As an example, if the colours are neutral you might want to pick subtle tones and striking shapes. However, you might also want to let the flowers become the standout feature, and choose a contrasting colour that really draws the eye.

It’s not just floral centrepieces which can enhance the setting though. While they are a perfect addition to the table, hanging flowers offer something a little different, or why not use individual flowers in your overall table design, such as on the place settings?

You may even want to use lighting to enhance the look of your floral creations, and additions such as fairy lights can really bring the colours and shapes of your flowers to life. Or as another aside if you’re feeling particularly creative, look at the use of edible flowers or creations like these flower ice cubes!

Floristry courses for yacht crew

Of course, no superyacht owner or crew agent would expect you to step on board a naturally gifted florist, and as well as decoration, you also need to think about flower and plant care. There are a range of courses out there specifically designed for stewardesses which focus on floristry. You could speak to a local florist for advice and tips, or you could liaise with superyacht crew training companies and see what day courses they do on floristry.

You’ll learn not only how to create stunning settings for formal events, you’ll also learn how to prolong the life of flowers. If you’re already covered by a course, top up your knowledge with our ten tips for keeping cut flowers looking fresh or look at tips on popular flower trends.