As a fan of all things floral, Jardine Hansen revels in creating loose arrangements which retain the sense of spontaneity and romance found in the garden. ‘I’ve adored flowers ever since I can remember. Some of my earliest memories are of wandering around my parent’s garden with my Nan while she pointed out different flowers and tried to teach me their names and scents. My parents also owned a flower shop in Woollahra in the late 1980s, and used to take me to the Flower Market when I was younger. I have a pretty great photo of me sitting on my dad’s shoulders wearing a Hello Kitty jumper and grinning like a maniac at the markets. My mum used to always buy me Bouvardia; I liked their scent and the way they open from a little box. She used to cut me Camellia and Gardenia from the garden too. With my own business, I grow quite a vast variety of flowers. I adore garden roses for their scent and the fact that they embody romance. I love Rhipsalis plants because they are weird and structural. Flannel flowers are very dear to me because they are beautiful natives, both subtle and extraordinary, and my boyfriend takes me hiking to places in the mountains where they grow wild. I also have a special place in my heart for Hellebore, Aquilegia, Ranunculus, Cosmos, Clematis Begonias and scented Geranium – I’m slowly collecting the whole range of them. I do also source flowers from the Flemington Flower Market or direct from the farms. My work is layered and textured, using interesting botanical specimens and foliages for their seasonal beauty. I find inspiration for my arrangements from gardens, the wilderness, the form particular plants take, flower growers, travel, and most importantly, my parents and friends. I love having the ability to bring people joy with what I create; the beauty of flowers astounds me over and over. I often cater for product launches, corporate events, weddings and shoots, and with all of these events, I try to emulate the garden, keeping things spontaneous and unstructured in a rambling romantic sort of way.’
