Creativity Over Coffee: Millie Rochon (Whitemoss & Twigs)
Join us for a fresh installment of Creativity Over Coffee!
I’m delighted to introduce you all to Millie Rochon, talented floral designer and owner of Whitemoss & Twigs. I had the pleasure of meeting Millie at a workshop she gave at Cross Street Flower Farm. You can read more about that here.
Grab your coffee (or tea) and join us for the latest installment of Creativity Over Coffee!
I’m such a big fan of your floral design. Can you tell my readers more about your journey to start Whitemoss & Twigs? People may not realize you had a whole other career before this one.
Millie: Thanks so much for having me here Danielle! My journey is a rather long one. I have gardened for as long as I can remember – since I was a child anyway. My love of gardening was nurtured by helping my father water and pull weeds from his vegetable garden on early summer mornings and visits to my grandmother’s beautiful peony garden. I was actually a high school history teacher for years and lived for summer vacations when I could spend all day gardening in my back-yard. I used to daydream of having my own flower farm or flower shop.
What made you change careers?
Millie: The death of my father had a huge impact on my life and led to a great deal of reflection. I realized I needed to make a change in my life so I could be creative and I knew it had to involve flowers.When do you feel most creative or happy?
When do you feel most creative or happy?
Millie: I am at my most creative when I am holding, seeing, or even thinking of arranging flowers. It has an incredibly calming effect on me — almost like meditation. Gardening is probably where I am always at my happiest – it is my first true love and I learned how to arrange flowers first by planting them in the soil.
Where did the name for Whitemoss & Twigs come from?
Millie: Whitemoss & Twigs came about when I was brainstorming for a unique name for the business. The first part is named for an old rose, the Centifolia Muscosa Alba Rose (White Moss), which dates back to 1735, and the fact that I like to use a lot of twigs and branches in my work.
Who or what inspires you?
Millie: English gardens are a never ending source of inspiration (some might say obsession) to me. They are so abundant and overflowing with masses of colorful flowers.
How has social media helped or hindered your business?
Millie: Social media has helped my business tremendously and has led to a number of new friends and clients contacting me.
What are your favorite flowers to work with?
Millie: One of my favorite flowers would definitely be garden roses, first and foremost, for their beauty and fragrance, followed by peonies, ranunculus, and anything local and in season. Of course, my favorite flowers are those I’m working with at the moment!
Do you have any funny stories from one of your weddings, or other events you’ve done the flowers for?
Millie: Not that I can share here! :))
Do you have any floral arranging tips for my readers?
Millie: Yes, invest in a kenzan, a floral frog to hold the flowers in place and just place the flowers where they want to be. Then think of the vase as a miniature garden you are creating and hold the flowers in front of the vase and other flowers to find the best place for it in terms of shape, height, color, texture and form. Just please don’t use floral foam — it breaks down into a micro-plastic that is harmful to people and the planet.
What advice would you give to someone who is interested in becoming more creative, or following in your footsteps as a designer?
Millie: I would say follow your dreams!
Growing up I was a huge follower of INSIDE THE ACTORS STUDIO. At the end of the program, they would ask the interviewee these questions:
- What is your favorite word? wonderful
- What is your least favorite word? actually
- What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Anything in nature – especially to hold a flower.
- What turns you off? Plastic
- What is your favorite curse word? That’s a tough question – I’ve used them all at times so I don’t want to play favorites!
- What sound or noise do you love? I love hearing birds singing in the morning. It’s absolutely the best way to wake up!
- What sound or noise do you hate? An alarm clock ringing
- What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I’d love to be a Garden designer. Wait, is that different?
- What profession would you not like to do? Anything corporate – yawn!
- If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Did you bring the flowers? :))
A huge thank you to Millie for sharing so much about her story and her floral arranging tips.
Be sure to follow along with Whitemoss & Twigs:
Website * Instagram * Facebook * Pinterest
If you’d like more Creativity Over Coffee you can read the full series here
* Photos courtesy of Whitemoss & Twigs.
Hi Danielle! I hope that you know heaven does exist and it is going to be more perfect and beautiful than we can comprehend. All I want to hear when I arrive at the pearly gates is “well done good and faithful servant”.