Woodstock is a workroom-based florist in Wellington, New Zealand, run by Vanessa, who opened the business in 1996 after five years in the floristry industry and earlier studies in textile design at the Wellington School of Design (now Massey University). Her love of colour and texture has defined the Woodstock look ever since — she happily admits it has been a love, and an obsession, for more than 25 years.
Once based on Willis Street, Woodstock moved around seven years ago to a more workroom-based setting. That means flowers here are made to order: every arrangement is based on what is available and in season, and preorders are essential. The workroom takes orders Monday to Friday, with the phone answered on weekdays from 10am and same-day delivery available on weekday orders placed before 10am. Outside those hours, messages and emails are always welcome.
Alongside seasonal flower orders, Woodstock offers a Handmade collection, Cafe Flowers and a range of Gorgeous Things, and shares what's in season on Instagram. Johnny the dog is often on hand as the meet-and-greet, and Vanessa is always happy to hear from anyone who wants a chat about flowers.
Woodstock is a Wellington florist with a difference: it is a workroom-based flower studio, run by a florist who describes herself as passionate and 'a little obsessed' with beautiful flowers and foliages. That obsession has been shaping Wellington's flowers since 1996, when Vanessa opened Woodstock after five years working in the floristry industry — and she has now spent more than 25 years surrounded by blooms.
Vanessa's path to floristry ran through design school. Before flowers, she studied textile design at the Wellington School of Design — today Massey University — where she honed the love of colour and texture that now defines her work. A designer's eye translated easily to stems, foliage and composition, and, as she puts it, it has been 'a love / obsession ever since'.
For years Woodstock traded on Willis Street in the city. Around seven years ago, Vanessa moved the business to a more workroom-based environment — a deliberate shift from retail shopfront to making studio. It is a model that suits the way she likes to work: closely, seasonally and to order.
Because Woodstock is a workroom rather than a walk-in shop, flowers must be preordered. Every order is built from what is available and in season, which keeps the designs honest to the moment and means each arrangement reflects what is genuinely at its best. If you want to see what is currently inspiring the workroom, the Woodstock Instagram feed is the place to look: it follows what's in season, where to buy the blooms, and plenty of gorgeous floral inspiration besides.
The practicalities are simple. Woodstock is open Monday to Friday, with the phone answered on weekdays from 10am. Deliveries also run Monday to Friday, and if you need flowers to arrive the same day, the cut-off for orders is 10am. Outside those hours you are welcome to leave a message or send an email, and enquiries are picked up when the workroom is back at the bench.
Fresh flowers are at the heart of it: orders designed around seasonal availability by a florist whose textile-design background shows in her feeling for colour and texture. Alongside the flowers, the Woodstock range includes a Handmade collection, a Cafe Flowers line and an edit of Gorgeous Things — enough to furnish a gift, a table or a corner of a home with something beautiful.
One more thing to know before you visit: you may be greeted by Johnny, the gorgeous dog who is often on meet-and-greet duty at Woodstock. Vanessa herself is always happy to hear from customers — she invites people to contact her for a chat, and with more than two decades in the industry she knows a thing or two about flowers. At home she is partner to Wayne and mum to two boys; at the workroom, she is the eye behind every arrangement.
Getting flowers from Woodstock is straightforward, but it pays to plan ahead. Because everything is made to order, reach out early in the day — by 10am if you need same-day delivery on a weekday. You can phone 04 385 2305 on weekdays from 10am, email [email protected], or leave a message through the website at any time. If you are flexible about the flowers themselves and open to what the season is offering, you will get the very best of what this workroom does: fresh, seasonal arrangements designed with a genuine love of colour and texture, by someone who has been doing this — and loving it — for more than 25 years.