For this edition of the journal we had the pleasure of chatting with friend of P.R Sheridan, the florist and creative behind Fiflar. Developing a unique & distinct approach to floristry we learn of the journey that led to Fiflar’s inception, influences behind her practice & where Sheridan sees opportunity for change in the industry.

1. In your own words can you tell us what you do?

I spend my days designing and creating meaningful florals for the most special occasions in peoples lives

2. What does a typical morning look like for you?

My dog and I are usually up at 4am to get to the markets by 4:30am. If you aren’t there early you miss out on the best picks of the day! We then stop by our favourite dog park and cafe, then head home to unpack and condition all the flowers. This usually takes a few hours depending on how many jobs I have on that week.

3. What was the journey that got you to where you are today?

From a young age I had a deep love of plants, particularly flowers. Both sets of Grandparents were avid gardeners and I spent much time in the garden with them. I really wanted to spend my days around plants and flowers, but also felt I needed a creative outlet. I did some searching online and Floristry was one of the first courses that came up at Southbank Tafe. I started 6 months after finishing school and got my first job straight after at a small shop in Clayfield. I worked there part time for only about 6 months and was offered a position at another shop. I stayed there for about 3-4 years. It was a very gruelling job with not much focus on design, so I found myself searching for something and somewhere new, which is when I decided to look outside of Queensland.

I spent the next 2 years in Sydney working at a beautiful shop, but also working on events & weddings on-site. There was so much creative freedom and I was surrounded by the most talented team of florists. This is definitely where I would say I ‘flourished’. I was surrounded constantly by the most special product and a very encouraging and inspiring team. We would push each other to get really creative and had so much fun doing it. We worked hard and we worked a lot, but it taught me so many skills and Fiflar would not be the same without this experience.

I headed home after about 2 years and found another florist job working mostly events and corporates. I was there for about a year when I decided I would give freelancing a go full time. Work increased and I was super busy with freelancing, but then covid hit. Majority of jobs cancelled for at least the next 6 months to a year, so I started working at the flower markets. Start time was anywhere between 12:30am - 3am. We would pull and pack orders for the day before the florists came in that morning, sort and unload product, clean the fridges, serve and invoice customers and so on. I would usually finish around 10am, then head home with my own product and spend the day doing bouquet deliveries for Fiflar. Most days I wouldn’t finish up delivering until about 7pm. I would then head home and do as much admin as I possibly could, then head to bed around 10 or 11pm. I did this for about a year, and I can’t even begin to tell you how hard it was! I really wanted to grow my own brand but also had rent to pay just like everyone else, so I did this until freelancing picked up again. It was a bit of a bumpy road with the hours, but I learnt SO much about what our growers/suppliers do and how incredibly hard their job is. It gave me a lot of insight into how many hands the flowers have gone through before they even reach florists. They are some of the hardest working people you will ever meet.

Freelancing picked up again and I was able to resign from the markets. I kept working on Fiflar while freelancing and eventually it gained some traction. Over the last 6 - 9 months I’ve seen and felt a huge amount of growth and have taken on less and less freelancing, only helping close friends. I am now in my 10th year of being a florist and I am so grateful for the journey that has led me here. It’s been full of very, very long and taxing hours, many overnight shifts working more than 30 hours straight, so much driving and many skipped meals but I have loved almost every minute of it. Covid has and continues to be it’s own journey, with each day presenting new problems to navigate, but it’s just apart of life and I am very thankful to do what I love.

4. Can you tell us a little about what influenced the creative direction of fiflar & has this evolved since it's inception?

There is so much that has influenced Fiflar. For me it feels ever-changing. Places, people, nature and art are some of the many things that have inspired me over the years and continue to do so.

5. What does sustainability look like for you in floristry & where do you see room for change overall in the industry?

This is a really hard topic for me to talk about. It has been a constant battle the entirety of my career. There is SO much room for change but so little care for change.

Buying local would be the best start and using recyclable packaging. In saying that, it is really tough in Queensland to buy local product at the moment. We already have so few suppliers and due to our weather, the product has just not been there to buy. The quantities and availability has been next to none. It has been a constant battle but one that is important to me. I separate all my plastic, cardboard and green waste into the appropriate bins and recycle and re use what I can. I buy local when it is available to me, but unfortunately buy imported product when it’s not so that I can fulfil my jobs. I am no where near perfect and am always open to tips on how I can do better in this industry as it never feels like enough. 6. Where are you looking for inspiration at the moment?I’m looking to nature at the moment. This past year I have tried to reflect and focus on what I can do to reduce my impact on the environment. I’m looking to nature and seasons.

7. What are you working on or towards for the remainder of 2022 & beyond?

I am working towards getting some better systems in place so I can function like a normal human being haha

8. An album/artist to uplift you & one that you return to when unwinding?

I really love to listen to Beach House while I work. I also love some classical piano in those moments of stress.

9. Any self-care rituals that are constant in your life?

A face mask, lavender in the diffuser and an episode of It’s Always Sunny is my ideal self-care ritual

Find Sheridan’s work via @fiflar_

Words by Natasha Bruce