2024 Student Floristry Competition

For our 2024 student competition, students will design and make 2 pieces, a hand tied bunch and a wearable item (such as a corsage, buttonhole/boutonniere, or a hairpiece). These 2 pieces must be complementary in style, colours and materials so that the styling and props make sense in the display. To add a further dimension to their work, they will create a display to stage their entries. 

They may draw their inspiration from a chosen event, a real or imaginary celebration, such as a wedding, a special birthday, an anniversary, baby shower or farewell party or whatever they choose. We anticipate this will entice participants to let their imagination run wild!!

Certificate III students from TAFE and private floristry colleges which are Registered Training Organizations across Australia can participate through their colleges.

The National Competition

Photo credit: Tom Stewart

WildFlowers Australia has hosted this prestigious National Competition in its present form since 2008. 

Each year we set a different theme. Students enrolled in Certificate III floristry courses at TAFE and PRIVATE floristry colleges nationally who are Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) are eligible to enter with the help of their teachers. 

Students research and make an arrangement to suit the theme, photograph it, write design notes and complete a simple research task. Teachers formally assess each entry and submit all the entries to WFA as digital folders.

This competition introduces students to the diverse range of products grown in Australia and harvested from Australian native and closely related South African species.

A set of competition documents is emailed to teachers across Australia in March/April.

The floristry competition deadline is Thursday September 19.

Previous themes

Silvia Slosarova 2010 Competition

Fiona Perry 2023 Competition

The Competition provides a great showcase of ideas for using wildflowers to convey many messages through beautiful flowers and foliages.

These include:

• romance and eternal love (2008 competition)

• new baby, new life (2009)

• wedding vows (2010)

• a table arrangement - suitable for a country wedding (2012)

• celebrating the centenary of Canberra (2013)

• happy birthday (2014)

• 'Lest we forget', a floral tribute, wreath in 2015

• a presentation sheaf for the Rio Olympics in 2016

• a table centerpiece for a special occasion or event (2017)

• ‘a hand tied winter bouquet, created with seasonal flowers, suitable for a wedding, or as a presentation bouquet’ (2018)

• ‘Welcome little one’ - celebrating the arrival of a new baby (2019)

• ‘Recovery’, after the challenges of drought and bushfires that sadly impacted so heavily on the wildflower industry during 2019 and 2020. (2020)

• “Circle of light’ - corona (2021)

• ‘Hope and joy’ – a fascinator (2022)

•‘In sympathy’ - a hand tied casket spray/sheaf (no floral foam) - 2023.

View the entries from recent previous competitions (2018 to present) on our Facebook page.

  • Student Florists

    Are you a student florist who would like to learn more about the competition?

  • Industry Sponsors

    Industry sponsors play a key role in supporting the competition. Find out how this competition can promote your business to the next generation of florists.

2024 Competition Sponsors

  • Main Sponsor - Koch & Co

    Koch & Co. have professional florists covered with their extensive range of sundries to supplies and accessories. They know the fine details make all the difference when it comes to making the ultimate floral arrangement for weddings, events, storefronts and more. Their range includes florist supplies such as floral foam and wire, flower stands, glues and adhesives. Koch & Co. also offer a wide range of florist hardware such as flower bowls and guards, florist scissors and pots.

    Delivery Australia-wide covering Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Hobart, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney as well as most country areas.

  • Platinum - Sustainable Floristry Network

    The Sustainable Floristry Network is a new, independent education organisation for florists, based in Australia. We deliver CPD-accredited training on sustainability as it applies to florists across the globe. Our Flowers 2030 industry education program sets a new standard for floristry, based on sustainability principles, and has been designed to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement. Our Member Florist program supports florists genuinely committed to creating a more sustainable industry through training and behaviour change.

  • Gold - East Coast Wildflowers

    East Coast Wildflowers is one of Australia's leading suppliers of Australian native and South African wildflowers with an extensive range of high-quality seasonal flowers and foliages grown all year round at their own farms in the beautiful hinterland of the NSW Central Coast. In addition to the extensive field plantings, protected cropping (greenhouse crops) allows for flowering crops to be grown out of season to a very high quality.

    East Coast Wildflowers also source and supply from many other leading specialist growers and wild product harvesters from across Australia. Their extensive range includes many sought after and unusual products not commonly available.

    Don't hesitate to contact East Coast if you want to obtain specific products at orders@eastcoastwildflowers.com.au

  • Silver - Flowers Magazine

    Flowers magazine is the essential guide for the National Australian flower and foliage industry. Both printed and e-magazine subscriptions are available, as well as a Business Directory.

    Contact Allison at editor@flowersmagazine.com.au

  • Silver - Helix Australia

    Helix Australia is the world leader in the breeding, marketing, and licensing of new and improved varieties of Waxflower and Boronia for both cut flower and landscape use. Waxflower is one of the major transition (filler) flowers used by discerning florists globally and Helix Australia’s varieties aim to enthuse both florist and consumer alike. Our superior varieties have been selected for flower size, unique colour range, extended vase life. We have developed both early and late flowering varieties to extend seasonal availability.

  • Silver - Wafex

    Wafex is a family owned business and Australia’s leading flower company, with offices in Australia, Kenya, Ecuador and the USA. We produce large volumes and many varieties of Australian native flowers at our own flower farms and support small and large growers throughout Australia that provide Wafex with a range of products and seasonal flowering times. Wafex owns leading Wholesaler Tesselaar Flowers, supplying Australian florists with offices in Melbourne, Brisbane & Perth.

    Contacts:

    Perth 08 9278 9800 Melbourne 03 8378 9900

    sales@wafex.com

  • Silver - What Cut Flower Is That?

    WhatCutFlowerisThat? The essential care and handling guide for cut flower professionals. 2nd edition. 2022. Published and printed in Australia by the authors. Download or purchase your print copy via our website.

  • Silver - Wildflower Industry Network of NSW Inc.

    Wildflower Industry Network of NSW Inc. (WIN) aims to grow and promote the Wildflower Industry in NSW. WIN members are specialist growers of Australian native flowers and foliage, as well as selections from South African Proteaceae. WIN supports the interests of growers and others with a commercial interest in wildflowers throughout NSW by fostering exchange of commercial and technical information, promoting and initiating technical research whilst supporting collective action on industry issues.

    Contact Sandra Crockett via email: crockett300@bigpond.com

  • Bronze - International Protea Association

    The International Protea Association represents all links in the value chain of global commercial protea production. It offers researchers, propagators, farmers, marketers, breeders and educators an open forum of communication and

    friendship to promote and expand the industry for the benefit of all.

    The IPA has over 100 members, representing protea farmers, marketers and researchers from Australia, Chile, China, Columbia, Ecuador, France, Holland, Israel, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Peru, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, USA and Zimbabwe.

  • Bronze - Premium Greens Australia

    Premium Greens Australia is the sales and marketing arm of the Cedar Hill Group based on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. We specialise in Australian native flowers and foliage for both export and domestic markets. Our products are world renowned for freshness, quality and their special form and style for designers.

  • Grower Sponsors

    Marick Nursery

    Mountain Nursery

    Banksia Man Wildflower Farm

    Broken River Proteas

    Serenity Hill Wildflowers