If you’re looking for pressed flower workshops in Ottawa, the best place to start is by deciding what kind of experience you want. Perhaps you’re planning a bridal shower, looking for a creative team-building activity, or hoping to learn how to preserve flowers and turn them into art.
Pressed flower workshops offer something different from a typical craft class. They bring people together through hands-on creativity, an appreciation for the natural world and the opportunity to make something personal. They can also be a meaningful introduction to sustainable art-making, using natural materials and encouraging us to look at flowers in new ways.
At The August Press, I offer customized pressed flower workshops in Ottawa for corporate teams, bridal parties, private groups and organizations. My approach combines years of experience working with flowers, botanical art and teaching with a belief in slower, more thoughtful ways of creating.
Types of Pressed Flower Workshops in Ottawa
Pressed flower art workshops
These workshops use prepared pressed flowers to explore colour, texture, shape and composition. Participants create their own botanical artwork, guided through the process without needing previous artistic experience.
Pressed flower art workshops are ideal for bridal showers, bachelorette parties, birthdays, private gatherings and corporate team-building events. Everyone works with natural materials, but each finished piece reflects the individual who made it.
Flower pressing and art workshops
For those who want to understand the process behind the artwork, a flower pressing workshop can introduce the techniques involved in selecting, preparing and pressing flowers.
Different flowers behave differently under pressure. Learning how to work with their individual structures is part of the craft, and understanding these differences helps participants make more informed choices when creating botanical art.
This format is particularly suited to gardeners, flower enthusiasts and anyone interested in sustainable crafts, botanical education and creative skills they can continue exploring at home.
The August Press: Custom Botanical Art Workshops
The August Press is my Ottawa-based pressed flower art and education business. I have taught workshops online and in person, including for Slow Flowers, the American Society of Cut Flower Growers and private groups at the Guelph School of Art.
Before focusing on pressed floral art, I worked as a sustainable florist and urban flower grower. That experience shaped how I understand flowers, from their natural structures to the ways they can be used in artistic compositions.
I also design and make professional flower presses that are used by flower enthusiasts and artists across North America.
Teaching is an extension of this work. I love helping people connect with flowers, discover their own creativity and leave with something they feel genuinely connected to. You don't need to consider yourself artistic to take part.
For workshops, I use locally grown flowers, helping participants connect with the seasons and the landscape around them. This connection to local materials is an important part of my approach to sustainable art-making and botanical education.
You can explore the options and enquire about a workshop on the Pressed Flower Workshops in Ottawa page.
Sustainable Corporate Workshops and Team-Building Activities
For companies looking for meaningful team-building activities in Ottawa, pressed flower art offers a chance to step away from screens, work with natural materials and create something by hand.
A sustainable art workshop can introduce participants to the beauty and possibilities of botanical materials while encouraging a slower, more thoughtful approach to creativity. Working with locally grown flowers also creates an opportunity to talk about seasonality, sustainable floristry and the value of using natural materials in art.
These workshops can be customized for:
Corporate team-building and staff appreciation
Sustainable education and environmental programming
Creative retreats and planning days
Client appreciation events
Conferences and organizational gatherings
Community groups and garden clubs
Rather than a competitive activity, botanical art gives everyone space to participate at their own pace. Participants explore their own ideas while sharing a creative experience with colleagues.
For organizations interested in sustainability, the workshop can connect hands-on craft with broader conversations about local sourcing, seasonal materials and thoughtful consumption. It is a practical, engaging way to bring sustainable creativity into a group setting.
Larger corporate events can be developed around your objectives, group size, schedule and location. If you're planning an event and want something more considered than a standard team activity, enquire about a custom corporate workshop.
Pressed Flower Workshops for Bridal Parties
A pressed flower workshop can be a lovely alternative to the usual bachelorette party or bridal shower activity.
Guests spend time together making botanical artwork, and everyone leaves with a personal keepsake. The workshop can be tailored to the bride's style, including colours that complement the wedding palette or the atmosphere you want for the gathering.
There is something particularly meaningful about working with flowers during a wedding celebration. Pressing flowers is an act of hope, a way to preserve something of a moment and a season.
For small private groups, the experience can be designed around your plans, whether you're organizing an intimate afternoon with friends or a special activity as part of a larger celebration.
Ask about a private bridal party flower workshop in Ottawa.
How to Choose a Pressed Flower Workshop
Before booking, consider what you want participants to learn and take away.
Does the workshop teach flower pressing or just art-making? Some workshops use prepared pressed flowers to focus on composition. Others teach flower selection, preparation and pressing techniques. Both are valuable, but they offer different experiences.
Who is teaching? Look for someone with practical experience in pressing flowers and working with botanical materials. An experienced instructor can explain how flowers behave and help participants make creative choices.
Are the materials locally sourced? If sustainability matters to you, ask where the flowers come from. Locally grown, seasonal flowers can connect participants to their surroundings and introduce them to more sustainable approaches to floral art.
Can the workshop be customized? For corporate events and private celebrations, ask whether the format, materials and finished project can be adapted to your group.
What will participants take home? A finished artwork gives everyone a tangible reminder of the experience and makes the workshop feel more personal.
Book a Pressed Flower Workshop in Ottawa
Whether you're organizing a corporate sustainability activity, a creative team-building event or a private bridal party, The August Press offers customized botanical art workshops designed around your group.
My approach brings together floral expertise, thoughtful teaching and the joy of making something by hand. Through locally grown flowers and sustainable art-making, participants have an opportunity to connect with the natural world while discovering their own creativity.
To start planning, share your event type, approximate group size, preferred date, location and any ideas you'd like the workshop to reflect.
You don't need to have every detail figured out. Tell me what you're imagining, and we can develop an experience that suits your group.
Enquire about a custom pressed flower workshop with The August Press.
