Innovative Gloucestershire florist Hans Haverkamp is predicting a move away from the traditional when it comes to Christmas colours this year.
While the familiar red and green will still be in evidence, Twyning-based Hans believes turquoise, copper and striking black-and-white will also be on display.
“There are a few trends coming along that are going to be popular in the UK,” he says.
Top of his list for 2015 is white and gold, although he stresses this is likely to be soft gold and champagne colours rather than anything brassy.
“I’ve already seen snowy white coloured trees with gold decorations, maybe some silver,” says Hans, who last month won Best in Show at the NAFAS national competition and has previously come top at Chelsea and the World Flower Arranging Show.
Copper is also likely to be a dominant colour, particularly in baubles.
“A very big trend statement this year will be the use of copper as a real accent colour.”
Pastels in the form of pinks, mint, turquoises and blues are likely to be another popular choice as is the ‘natural look’ with cones, acorns, bark and driftwood.
“Cones are a fairly big feature with oversized cone ornaments.”
A more niche trend is black and white: “It’s for those who want to make strong statement.”
Hans, who trained as a Master Florist in Holland, is using some of these ideas in this season’s workshops, which will cover festive floral decorations including table decorations and door wreaths.
“I’m picking and mixing them a bit. I try to look at the trends and then try to work them into something that’s exciting but not scary.”
His ‘Twinned Candles’, an arrangement using chunky Scandinavian candles, will mix white, taupe, browns, cinnamon and chocolate tones and is wrapped in felt.
Door wreaths this year draw on the cone theme with natural and white-sprayed cones and twigs giving a textured finish.
His party arrangements will be in white and grey with the copper accent, while the table arrangements will feature white, natural wood, greys, champagne and natural tones.
When it comes to flowers, he is planning to use white spray roses, copper carnations, nerines and kochia.
“It’s like a little, grey Christmas tree,” he explains.
Yet, he says despite these new trends there will always be a place for the traditional.
“You will always have reds and golds because that is the traditional colour. But slowly people are looking to make more of a personal statement with what they do. They are daring to leave the golds and the reds behind.”
• Workshops, priced from £55, run from December 2 to 22 and are held in Twyning. To book and for more information, call 07818 040312 or visit www.hansflowers.co.uk