i fiori

The workshops at i fiori are generally ‘hands-on’. We supply all materials and tools for you to learn, design, create and construct… and have fun in the process! Some workshop dates are preset, and we require that you sign-up with a small deposit, as space is limited. The winter workshops tend to fill up quickly, please contact the shop 905-962-4750 or info@ifiori.ca to book your spot.

PRIVATE WORKSHOPS
All workshops can be tailored to a private group if you wish to book a time and can bring together your friends, family or colleagues. Please contact the shop 905-962-4750 or info@ifiori.ca for more information and to schedule your date.

Terrariums

Book your group of 5 to 8 participants
duration: 2 hours
This is a hands-on workshop.

A great idea for an evening out with friends! Book an i fiori terrarium workshop for your group of colleagues, family or friends. Please contact us to arrange a time for your group!

You will select plants from a fantastic array of succulents and living stones, and arrange them into your choice of glassware or containers from the shop (or bring your own and we can adjust the workshop fee). You will then accent your terrarium with sand, gravel, lichen, sea glass, moss, and pebbles.
A choice of containers and plants, the soil and all decorative elements will be supplied.

Winter wreaths

November dates to be announced.

duration: 7-9 pm :: 2 hours

This is a hands-on workshop.

Using grapevine or twig wreath as a base, i fiori will supply evergreen boughs, boxwood, dogwood, curly willow, berries, and natural accents to help you create and personalize your winter wreath. The wreath will be suitable for exterior doors, interior doors or hanging in your home. You decide on the style that suits you, and we will supply all of the tools required, and show you step-by-step tips and tricks that can be used not only for your winter wreath, but to decorate your home for the season!

HOLIDAY CENTREPIECES & TABLESCAPES

Dates to be announced.
duration: 7-9 pm :: 2 hours
This is a hands-on workshop.

Not your average evergreen centrepiece with a taper candle whacked in the middle…
The i fiori tablescape & centrepiece workshop may have you creating a series of coordinating arrangements that can be grouped or separated to suit your space, or maybe a low trough arrangement – perfect for a mantle or a bookshelf.

We will help you design and create seasonal decor for your tables, sideboards, mantles or bookshelves. All bases, and materials and tools are supplied – including a broad choice of containers, greenery, seedpods, berries and embellishments. And yes, even candles. With a little regular watering, the final arrangements will last through to the New Year with very little maintenance (we’re guessing that you will already have enough to do at this time of year!)

bouquet 101 :: come play with flowers

Book your group of 4 to 6 participants
duration: 2 hours
This is a hands-on workshop.

One of our most popular ‘Christmas gift’ workshops to do with friends. Please contact us to arrange a time for your group!
Gather 4 to 6 of your friends and family together, and come and spend 2 hours surrounded by beautiful, fresh flowers. Learn the step-by-step methods to arrange and build traditional/formal to organic bouquets.  You will learn how to  condition and care for the flowers to get the maximum vase-life from them. All of the flowers and tools are supplied, and you will leave with a knock-out bouquet!
Book your workshop before the New Year, or arrange to have your group come together in January when everyone has more time, and will need a break from the snow and ice!

Contact i fiori at 905-962-4750 or flowers@ifiori.ca to book your workshop

Planning the flowers for your wedding with i fiori is a hands-on partnership. We won’t show you a generic book with limited bouquet options, or expect you to take a pre-arranged bundle of services.

Instead we want to learn about the two of you, about the dress, about the bridesmaids, about the flowers that make you happy or that have a meaning in your life. We will talk about colour and feeling and shape and fragrance.

Then – and only then – we will begin to build your bouquet, boutonnieres and plan your flowers ensuring that this is really and truly a very personal and original event.

 

 

Bouquets, corsages, boutonnieres and anything and everything that you may need for the wedding reception is described and planned and budgeted in detail for you.

Please call us to arrange for your private wedding consultation. It takes about an hour, and there is no charge for this meeting, or for the quotation that follows. Because we do not have that generic menu of bouquets or centrepieces – please note that we can not provide ‘instant’ pricing for phone or email inquiries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the most up to date examples of our work, please click on the instagram link below, and if you are planning a wedding – make note of the month the entry was made. This will give you a very good indication of the types of flowers in season for your wedding!

At i fiori, we always have a large selection of tropical plants, succulents and cactus to choose from. Seasonally, we also carry flowering plants like jasmine, helebores, heather, potted ranunculus and orchids, among others.

All of our plants come from Ontario greenhouses – and why is this is important? Plants propagated and grown in local greenhouses are accustomed to light levels, fluctuating humidity and temperature levels that we similarly have in our homes. They naturally will have a better success rate, and you will show off that green thumb sooner!

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Succulents and Cactus

• easy to grow
• very hardy
• pest and disease resistant
• incredible variety of shapes and silhouettes
• thrive on neglect
• require minimal care…
what is not to love?
As a group, succulents include some well-known plants, such as the aloe and agave. Cacti are also subset of the succulent group. No matter what kind of succulent you choose, the care and maintenance are pretty similar between the different species.
How much light do they need?
Succulents prefer bright light, and many will be fine in direct sunlight (introduce the plant gradually to direct sun). Having said that, they also adapt well to artificial light – like that found in most offices.
If the plant is needing more light it may begin to stretch, resulting in an elongated stem and widely spaced leaves. The solution is to provide better light and prune the plant back to its original shape. Many succulents will thrive outdoors in the summer.
What is the ideal temperature?
Succulents are much more cold-tolerant than you would think. In the desert, succulents thrive in colder nights, down to even 40ºF. Ideally, succulents prefer daytime temperatures between 70ºF and about 85ºF and nighttime temperatures between 50ºF and 55ºF.
How often should I water my succulents?
Oh this is the million dollar question at i fiori !
summer: During the warmer months water thoroughly then let the soil go absolutely dry before re-watering. When in doubt it is safer to underwater than to overdo it. Succulents store water in their stems and leaves and can tolerate periods of dryness without harm. We often recommend that you water your succulents with a spray bottle directed at the base of the plant. This is simply to prevent you from over-loving (and by that we mean over-watering) your plant.
If you are unsure as to how often to water your plant, leave it until the plant starts to shrivel slightly or go limp, then water well. Repeat this process and you will soon learn the pattern of watering that your plant prefers.
Overwatering… and the fungus and plant rot that follows… is the single most common cause of plant failure. An overwatered succulent might at first plump-up and look very healthy. However, the cause of death may have already set in below the soil surface, with rot spreading upward from the root system. A succulent should never be allowed to sit in water.
winter: During the winter the plants are naturally dormant, so reduce the watering to once every other week or even once a month.
Do I need a special soil?
Succulents generally have shallow roots that form a dense mat just under the soil surface. They prefer to be potted in a fast-draining mixture that’s designed for cacti and succulents, but you can use a normal potting mix, just nothing too rich in compost or peat ( you might want to add an inorganic agent like perlite (it looks like tiny ‘pearls’ of white material) to increase aeration and drainage). If your pot has no drainage hole – always always always place a generous layer of clean stone or gravel in the pot before you put in the soil and plant your succulents. This will keep your soil above any water that may accumulate at the bottom of your pot.
Should I fertilize my succulents?
During the summer growing season, you can fertilize the succulents but use the fertilizer at half strength. Stop fertilizing entirely during the winter.
Are succulents really pest-proof?
Some succulents are prone to mealy bug (appearing as very small oval-shaped white fluffy balls on the leaves towards the centre of the plant and under the leaves). Mealy bugs can easily migrate to and from your other plants – both indoors and from the outside. If you see mealybugs, you can kill them individually by touching them with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. To be safe – after you do this, tilt the plant over a sink and thoroughly spray the leaves with water to wash away any bugs that you may have missed or their eggs, and then spray with insecticidal soap (like Safer’s Soap), or use the spray that we use in the shop, which you can easily make at home.
plant spray for pests (a.k.a. ‘welcome spray’)
blend in a spray bottle:
– 50 parts water (1 1/4 cup)
– 1 part dish soap (one small squirt)
– 10 parts rubbing alcohol (1/4cup)

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Terrarium Care

So… you have received a terrarium as a gift, or you attended one of our workshops and made your own, or you just plain forgot how to care for it…

watering
Our terrariums and planters are constructed with a base of gravel beneath the soil to catch excess water and prevent the succulent roots from getting too wet and soggy. About once a week, place 1 teaspoon of water per plant into the centre of the terrarium.
(4 plants = 4 teaspoons of water)
Initially the water may pool at the bottom of the terrarium, but eventually the soil will  wick up the water.

light
Succulents can tolerate direct sunlight, so bright light is fine on an open planter or terrarium- but remember that the glass container may amplify the heat and light – so glass enclosed terrariums should not be placed in direct, blazing sunlight.

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garden jars

The i fiori ‘Garden Jars’ are the perfect hostess gift, token of thanks, or ideal small centrepiece. They come in 2 sizes, are built in a reusable glass vases with a small but stable footprint, designed in water and easy to transport.

Let us know what your colour or style preference is, and we arrange one specially for you using the freshest flowers available!

 

hand tied bouquets

We love making bouquets at i fiori – especially European hand tied ones! What makes our bouquets unique? You tell us about the recipient, maybe their favourite colours or flowers and give us an idea of your budget, and we build you a personal, custom bouquet –  using a variety of perfect flowers and interesting greenery with textural interest. Or let us do our thing (we call it ‘dealer’s choice’…), and watch the magic happen.

 

vase arrangements

Vase arrangements at i fiori can utilize elegant and modern glass vases, or footed compotes or low troughs – you decide what is suitable. We work to your budget and colour preferences

 

For the most current samples of our work, please click on the instagram link below!

@ifioriflorist

Our shop at 140 James Street North in Hamilton Ontario is currently closed in an effort to slow COVID 19. Follow @ifioriflorist on Instagram for updates or email us at flowers@ifiori.ca if you have any questions.

If you would like to support us you can purchase a gift certificate here.