Florist of the Year Awards 2025: A Celebration of Global Talent
Florist of the Year Awards 2025: A Celebration of Global Talent
Friday, August 8th, 2025, wasn't just another day on the calendar; it was a landmark event that once again proved the passion and creativity of the global floristry community. The Florist of the Year Awards, now in its second year, has firmly established itself as a must-attend highlight of the industry, and this year's celebration was nothing short of explosive.
What makes these awards so special is their accessibility. We created this event to be a platform for every florist—whether you’re a seasoned business owner or a talented freelancer—no matter where you are in the world. This philosophy of "no restrictions" has resonated deeply, bringing in nearly 1,000 nominations from all corners of the globe. A huge thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate and give their favorite florist a well-deserved shout-out.
The numbers this year were staggering. We saw a powerful showing from Ireland, which accounted for 64% of nominations, followed by the UK at 16%, and the United States at 7%. The remaining 13% came from a beautiful mosaic of countries worldwide. The competition was fierce, especially in our largest category, Wedding Florist of the Year, which saw an incredible 276 florists nominated and over 3,000 people casting their vote. This overwhelming response is exactly why we chose to name ten finalists instead of the usual five!
It's clear that floristry is more than just a career; it's a flexible, creative, and fulfilling life path for many. We see this in our smallest category, Freelance Florist of the Year, which celebrates those who masterfully balance their passion for flowers with the demands of a modern lifestyle. It's a testament to the industry's evolution, where flexibility and collaboration are key to success. Speaking of collaboration, that's what we stand for here at Kays Flower School: "Collaboration, not competition." We believe there is business out there for everyone, and working together lifts the entire community.
And the Winners Are...
Here are the incredible florists who shone brightest at this year's awards. A massive congratulations to all the winners and runners-up!
Wedding Florist of the Year
Winner: Chantal Counihan – La Luna Floral Studio
Prize: A new website setup and a 6-month free subscription from Florist Pro.
Runners-up:
Theresa Talbot – Willow and Herb
Prize: A travel voucher for a guided tour of the Castles of Connemara from Colleen Irish Travel.
Carolyn Duggan – The Florist on the Hill
Prize: A Digital Florist Tool Box to simplify business administration.
Newcomer Florist of the Year
Winner: Raygan Mc Evoy – Annamay Floristry Rathgar
Prize: A voucher from Irish Green Guys.
Runners-up:
Olivia Lee – Bespoke Blooms Floristry
Prize: A voucher from Viv Bradford Coaching.
Adam Gallagher – Elmgrove Flower Farm
Prize: A Flora Life Good Box.
Kay Shields – Newton Blooms
Prize: A Digital Florist Tool Box.
Freelance Florist of the Year
Winner: Leann Endean – Leanns Flowers
Prize: A Hoek Flower Voucher.
Runners-up:
Michelle Byrne
Prize: A voucher from O'Neill’s Florist Wholesaler.
Claire Kelly – Meadow Blooms
Prize: A Florismart Flower Voucher.
Leonie Geraghty – Blended Design
Prize: A Digital Florist Tool Box.
Retail Florist of the Year
Winner: Laura & Jason – House of Blooms Flower Bar
Prize: A 6-month subscription to Digital Florist management software.
Runners-up:
Nancy Garrett – The Purple Peony
Prize: A Sue Whale Cut Flower Book Series.
Heather Condon – Flower Pop
Prize: A voucher from Elmgrove Flower Farm.
Studio Florist of the Year
Winner: Aoife Scully – Harvest Bloom by Aoife
Prize: A Floral Box Voucher
Runners-up:
Celine Rock – Blossom and Bloom – Tipperary
Prize: A voucher from Qwik Flower Wholesaler.
Danielle Walker – Wreaths and Flowers by Danielle
Prize: A voucher for Oasis Floral Products.
Overall Florist of the Year
Winner: Carolyn Duggan – The Florist on the Hill
Prize: A Details Flowers Professional Subscription package, a voucher from Fleurametz Ireland, and a 4-month sponsorship package on our Flower School Podcast.
This incredible event wouldn't have been possible without the support of our generous sponsors. Thank you for your belief in our community and for providing such wonderful prizes for our winners.
A special thanks also to Mr & Mrs Kay who were in charge of our sound effects on the night and did an incredible job. Thank you to Deirdre’s Daughter Cara for manning the 4 phones as we streamed across four platforms on the night. Thank you Linda from The Habit Boss for her support setting up and help Deirdre pull of this event even better again this year .
Thank you Emma from 11PR & Events for providing us with a fabulous Sanctury Spa gift set to give away. To Nicola in Bracken & Fern for gifting a beautiful lavender candle as a spot prize on the night. And the biggest thank you goes to you, our Florists, or Students, our followers, our friends and our commun ity and business netweorks who are always there to help us out and promote our business and services.
Your support helps us continue to empower and celebrate florists everywhere.
If you haven't yet, check out the free course we sent you by email as a thank you for your nominations. And be sure to tune in tomorrow morning for the launch of our brand latest podcast, sponsored by our Overall Florist of the Year 2025, Carolyn Duggan!