“I learned that floral design is more than putting stems in a vessel. I learned how to connect to each stem, to each imperfect flower, to each design. I learned that meaningful and intentional floral design begins with instinct.”
Floral design found me later in my life, post-career, after my son was in grade school.
Having joined garden club at the time, I was introduced to flower shows and wanted to learn more about floral design. So I took floral design classes, learned about the designing principles, color theory and composition, and studied under floral designers I admired.
Kerry Patel Designs began as a floral design studio in 2014 designing for weddings and events. While I no longer design wedding nor event florals, I do teach floral design classes and programs.
I look at floral design as an art form. I design with an artist’s eye, choosing each flower to create a lyrical orchestration of color and rhythm. There’s a reason why that stem is placed just so in the vessel.
In the spring, you can find me tending to my garden - a petite oasis with English heritage and Mediterranean vibes. When the spring bulbs have finished flowering, the scent of the lavender, rosemary, and thyme delights the senses - and makes for very happy bees. I find that dusk is the perfect time of day to take in the ephemeral beauty of my garden, crisscrossing the pebble pathways of the parterre - I swear there’s a magical force field in the center, one of peacefulness and calm. Follow along on Instagram and join me on my next garden walk. I have a feeling the flowers will bring calm to you, too.
xo, Kerry
Accolades
{humbly mentioned}
Florists’ Review
“Top 50 Wedding Florists of 2023”
Garden Club of America
Speaker, GCA Speaker List & Member of Garden Club of Madison
Garden Club of America
Club Floral Design Achievement Award
Harriet DeWaele Puckett Creativity Award
guiding design principles
We are an eco-friendly, floral foam -free studio committed to sustainable floristry practices. This means that my floral designs are created to have less of an impact on the environment while simultaneously caring for the health and well-being of my clients. In most of my designs, you will find green-coated chicken wire anchoring the flowers in the vessel, allowing them to dance about, as they would in the garden. Don’t discard the chicken wire after the flowers perish! It’s reusable, so have fun playing and designing on your own.
I believe in supporting local flower farms right here in the garden state - most of them women-owned! - each a small business with a big heart, not unlike my own. These farms have adopted their own responsible flower farming practices, organically growing beautiful flowers that last a little longer in the vase.
And about that floral foam? Well, it’s essentially plastic. It’s a petroleum-derived product, meaning it comes from a non-renewable resource. Since it’s a single-use item, it ends up in the garbage, and subsequently the landfill. Lastly, floral foam contains formaldehyde and carbon black. I don’t want to inhale these hazardous chemicals, and I surely don’t want my clients to, either.
values & philanthropy
I am committed to caring for my community and my neighbors. I believe that education and learning never cease.
I strive to create a personalized floral experience for every client. I value connection and authenticity and bring that into each design.
Inspiration comes in many forms and I will forever seek out inspiration for my floral designs. No two designs are ever alike.
giving back
Throughout my life, philanthropy has always been a value lived and served. It’s a value my family and I take to heart and I am committed to giving of my time, talent and treasure to others wherever I can. I am proud to say that, to date, Kerry Patel Poetic Floral has graciously donated close to $6,000 to charitable organizations that help those less fortunate or with food insecurities within my community.