All images: Kidman Flower Co
Us Adelaideans love an opportunity to do something creative and support a local business, all with a glass of bubbles in our hands. If that sounds like something for you, come down to Balhannah one weekend and visit the stunning flower plantation, Kidman Flower Co.
Take part in a unique three-hour workshop on the property and build your own bouquet with native flowers freshly picked from the property. It’s an idyllic spot in the middle of the Adelaide Hills, featuring 30 acres of flowers, as far as the eye can see!
Your afternoon will begin at the Kidman processing shed, where you will see piles upon piles of flowers, in a gorgeous array of colours. You will first learn post-harvest handling methods, so you know how to make your blooms stay beautiful and long-lasting.
From there, stroll through the plantation under the afternoon sun and take a few snaps while you’re there! It’s not often that you find yourself in amongst a flower field, breathing in the crisp scents of proteas and kangaroo paws.
Enjoy homemade afternoon tea and a glass of bubbles before jumping into an informal “Master Class” where you can let your creative side take over and make a bouquet as big as you can hold.
With more than 60 species of Australian and African flowers, your creation will doubtlessly outshine anything you can buy at your local supermarket. Think proteas, leucadendron, riceflowers, waratah, and geraldton wax.
What makes the experience better, is the knowledge that you’re helping out a local family biz. Ange Kidman has owned Kidman Flower Co with her husband, Des, for 21 years. The potato farmers turned florists first fell in love with flowers when the stumbled upon a 60 acre field of geraldton wax when they were based near the Murray, just North of Parilla.
“It was just too big and too beautiful to ignore,” said Ange. When Ange and Des decided the make the move to Balhannah, it was initially quite challenging as people weren’t that interested in natives.
“Natives weren’t trendy back then! Natives were seen as old fashioned and something you would see in your grandma’s house,” said Ange.
“It was a tough gig because there were horrible products in the supermarket. We just started to promote what natives can look like! Beautiful, local, and sustainably grown. And they last much longer!”
Workshops run monthly on every 4th Saturday, from April until September, with approximately 22 people per class. They book out fast, so be sure to visit their website and secure your spot.
If you were too late to book the class you wanted, never fear. Kidman Flower Co have a few collaborations in the works that are worth checking out.
First on the list is ‘Botanical Immersion’, an art class where you can draw some gorgeous flowers at The Cedars Hahndorf. After your art class, you can enjoy an indulgent gourmet lunch in the gardens, then learn native floral arrangement techniques from Ange Kidman.
Botanical Immersion will be held on April 2nd 2022. For details, click here.
Finally, Kidman Flower Co will also be collaborating with local artist Mandy Scanlon to create ‘Flowers and Clay‘, An experience where you can build your bouquet, then build the vase as well! This will be held on Mother’s Day (Sunday 8th May). Details have not be released just yet on this one, but stay tuned!
To read more on Kidman Flower Co’s Flower Farm Experience or to book, click here.
You can also find Kidman Flower Co on Facebook.
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