An Ipswich business that has been open for 20 years has launched a new 'Flower School' to encourage people to take up the trade.

Emma's Florist on Nacton Road is running workshops on everything from wreath making to creating terrariums.

The workshops are small classes of only eight people, run by owner and founder Emma Felgate.

Originally from Brentwood in Essex, Mrs Felgate moved to Ipswich two decades ago to be with her husband Neil.

They moved into a flat above their original shop in Nacton Road, as both properties came up at the same time.

Mrs Felgate started learning floristry at the age of 15 and went on to study at Writtle College in Essex.

Part of the reason she is holding floristry workshops is to help young people decide if they could go into the profession.

The 41-year-old said: "We were running workshops every now and then. Everyone was just loving it and more and more people were coming to us that wanted to try floristry. 

"I thought long and hard about it because our business is busy anyway. But I really wanted to show other people how to do things because floristry is a dying trade so just wanted to keep it going.

Ipswich Star:

"We have had a great response from it, from people who are leaving school and do not know what they want to do. I know how hard it was for me yonks ago to be asked what you want to do when you are older. You are not too sure.

"It gives them a little peek into it. They might want to study Floristry at Otley College.

"It's also good for people who don't want to change their career but have a hobby. It's quite a relaxing thing."

For the first four years, Emma's Florists was a few doors down from its current location, where barbers Arons Cuts is now.

In 2018, they opened a new shop in St Peter’s Street, but had to close it two years later after a drop in customers.

But Mrs Felgate says they are doing well with the one shop, and after two decades in Nacton Road they still have many regular customers.

She added: "We still have many regular customers. We are doing really really well. It's a lovely job to do, and there's so much for everybody to enjoy."