There’s growth in the floral design scene that’s seeing Irish flower artists being picked by some of the biggest names in fashion, sport and social media to deck out their special events.

Belfast-born Shane Connelly has long been the florist of choice of British royalty for weddings and coronations, and the exquisite duo, Corkonian Terri Chandler and Dubliner Katie Smyth, who own flower studio Worm in London have household names like Balenciaga, Burberry, Harpers Bazaar and Elle Decoration on their client list.

But one which is blooming in home soil is award-winning floristry design studio Flowerpop, founded by Heather Condren and firmly rooted in Dublin’s Inchicore where she caters to clients ranging from Charlotte Tilbury and Christian Louboutin, to Guinness and the Beckhams. Remember Cruz Beckham’s 21st birthday at the Gravity Bar? Heather styled the flowers.

It’s a long way from her initial venture into floristry which started with a Christmas wreath pop-up in 2021, which initially she saw as a temporary thing, but found herself doing it for other occasions too.

“I’m just going to do these pop ups for a while until I find a real job, I kept saying to myself, until several people in my life pointed out that I did in fact have a real job,” Heather tells EZ Living Interiors podcaster Laura O’Keeffe, when they sat down to chat in the Sandyford store parlour room, for the latest episode of Style Stories.

“I knew I was creative but I couldn’t find my medium. I always loved flowers; I think everyone has a bit of a fantasy of, oh I’d love to pack it all in and become a florist, that and owning a bookshop.”

But it was her friends organising a hen party for her and coinciding with her decision to give up her job, start a family and make a fresh start, that realigned her stars.

“My own hen party surprised me with a flower crown party and I was hooked,” says Heather. “I was working as a social care worker for ten years and I was burnt out, so after my wedding I decided to take it as a fresh start. I entered a competition for a scholarship with Kay's Flower School and I won, which has changed my life.”