A unique and inspirational floral workshop by Ponderosa and Thyme

This past fall I traveled to Florence, Italy with the amazing team from Ponderosa and Thyme, a gorgeous floristry business located in Salem, Oregon. Ponderosa and Thyme is known for their unique floral design workshops that focus not only on working with flowers but also all things artistic inspiration and personal growth.

I got to experience one of Ponderosa and Thyme’s iconic workshops for myself at their Clarity Retreat. For this retreat, attendees dug into floral design, along with multiple other creative and business outlets. All of the exercises at this retreat were focused on helping everyone reconnect with their artistic “why” and find clarity in their own business and creative process. It was so beautiful and emotive!

Castello di Potentino in Florence, Italy was the perfect location for the Clarity Retreat

We stayed at the stunning Castello di Potentino villa in the Tuscan countryside. Castello di Potentino is an artist’s heaven, and there was inspiration around every corner. The grounds themselves were picture-perfect, with vineyards and orchards surrounding the entire property. It was something straight out of a fairytale! This peaceful setting was exactly the right atmosphere for a workshop about creativity and authenticity. 

Another highlight of the trip for me was the wonderful Italian food! We ate locally grown and sourced foods for all our meals, paired with the most incredible wine and olive oil made right there on the property. 

I love photographing floral workshops, because they are so connecting and personal

Floral workshops and retreats are always a highlight for me because of how personalized they are. Really getting to know the designers and attendees on a deeper level makes each experience so special. Plus, I love that getting to connect with everyone allows me to photograph them and their work better!

The wonderful vendors featured in this Ponderosa and Thyme shoot

Photography: Kim Branagan Photography
Workshop Host: Ponderosa and Thyme
Workshop Assistant: Sarah Pearson
Workshop Assistant: James O’Shea
Workshop Assistant: Mark Davis
Workshop Venue: Castello di Potentino
Vessels & Tools: Accent Decor
Attendee Gifts: Ribbon by Tono & Co
Film Processing & Scanning: PhotoVision Print Lab