Autumn Flower Arranging Workshop in Gillman Barracks: S$245

Charlotte Puxley Flowers runs its workshops from a floral studio at 9 Lock Road, #02-21 Gillman Barracks, Singapore 108937. The autumn class, called the Autumn Colour Workshop, costs S$245 per person, lasts 1.5 hours and teaches you to build a palette of burnt oranges, rust reds and earthy tones softened with pastels before turning it into a loose seasonal arrangement that you carry home. The studio's current booking page lists a Thursday evening session on 29 October, from 6:30 pm to 8 pm.

The studio is on the second floor of a heritage building at Gillman Barracks, which the studio's own pages describe as the iconic blue building. Gillman Barracks was built as British military barracks and is now a leafy cluster of galleries and creative businesses, so a workshop here feels closer to a visit to an arts compound than to a trip to a shopping mall. The address to give a taxi or map app is 9 Lock Road, unit #02-21.

Charlotte Puxley founded the business in 2015. She is a Londoner who worked for six years in the British floral scene before moving to Singapore, and her studio's approach combines the wild elegance of the English countryside with tropical flowers and foliage. The current studio space was refreshed in 2021 and the studio describes it as naturally sunlit and airy, which is a practical advantage when you are judging colour.

The studio's sister space, Ida's, is an event venue at the same address, launched in 2023 and furnished with green awnings and wicker furniture. During its Holiday Edit event on 14 and 15 November, Ida's says the florist will open a weekend flower bar, in the morning only, inside the floral studio. That is a useful date to know if you want to browse the studio's flowers without booking a class.

The Autumn Colour Workshop is built around colour rather than technique alone. The studio says it begins with colour theory inspired by Impressionist painting, then explores how colours interact, and finally helps you translate your palette into a loose, seasonal floral arrangement. The brief names burnt oranges, rust reds and earthy tones, balanced with softer pastels.

That structure suits people who have bought flowers before but find arrangements go flat or muddy. Instead of copying a set recipe, you learn why a rust-coloured bloom sits well beside a dusty pink one, and why one pale accent can lift a whole arrangement. The class lasts 1.5 hours, which is long enough to choose stems, test combinations and arrange them without rushing.

The booking page offers two ways to reserve: a single place, or a Book with a Friend option for two spots. The price is S$245 per person. Two dates have been listed this season, a Saturday morning on 10 October, which is now unavailable, and the Thursday evening of 29 October, which the studio's page shows as available. The Thursday slot suits people who work during the day.

If you want a class for yourself and friends, the studio offers a tailored private class called A Deep Dive into Everything Flowers. It also lasts an hour and a half, and the studio says head florists lead it and help you according to your requests. The curriculum covers floral techniques, how to select flowers, the stories behind seasonal blooms, supply chains, design principles and how to get more from the vessels you have at home.

Prices depend on group size. For one or two people, the private class costs S$495 per person, and for three or four people it costs S$400 per person. Dates are arranged by enquiry rather than from a calendar. The studio's workshop page also lists a group format called Perfect for the Party, priced at S$1,320, and a tablescaping workshop sits under the same listing, so a birthday or team event can be arranged.

For larger groups the studio points you to Ida's, which can be booked as an event space.

The studio states that it has eliminated floral foam, composts its green waste and increasingly sources blooms locally and regionally. For a student, that means building arrangements from stems and vessels rather than foam blocks, so you can recreate what you learn at home without special supplies.

Charlotte Puxley's own style tends toward unexpected colour palettes, textural layers and botanical forms, and her studio's work ranges from intimate weddings to large installations. A class here therefore shows a working florist's approach: how to layer foliage first, how to vary stem heights and how to leave negative space so each bloom is visible.

The studio asks you to give notice three days ahead if you need to cancel. Refunds are not paid back in cash; they come as credits valid for six months, which you can use for future workshops or for products. A notification made less than three days before the class counts as a late cancellation and receives no refund, so choose a date you are sure about, especially for the two-spot friend booking.

The workshop page does not state a minimum age or a maximum class size, so ask the team if you plan to bring a teenager or a larger party. The same WhatsApp number and email handle these questions, and private sessions can be arranged on request.

Gillman Barracks is meant for wandering. The lanes between the old barracks blocks are shaded by large trees, and the galleries and studios along them are worth a slow look. A late-afternoon workshop in October lets you walk the compound while the light is soft and then go straight to a Thursday evening class.

After the class, carry the arrangement upright in your hands or in a box rather than a bag, keep it out of the car boot in the heat, and trim the stems at an angle before placing them in fresh water at home. Because the palette is autumnal, it also photographs well against a wall of neutral colour, a detail the studio's colour lesson explains.

Address: Charlotte Puxley Flowers, 9 Lock Road, #02-21 Gillman Barracks, Singapore 108937. Email: info@charlottepuxleyflowers.com. Autumn Colour Workshop: S$245 per person, 1.5 hours, with a Thursday 29 October session from 6:30 pm to 8 pm. Private classes: S$495 per person for one to two people, S$400 per person for three to four. Official website: charlottepuxleyflowers.com.

Cancel at least three days ahead to receive credits, wear clothes that can get a little wet, and bring a container or box for the journey home.