Isadia
Words: Anna King Shahab
Photography: Blink Ltd.
Combined talents and combined names are behind a floral design studio nestled in a light-filled heritage building in Kelly St.
‘Enough space between each flower to allow a bird to fly through’ is a principle of ikebana, the traditional Japanese flower arranging that has become a guiding beacon at Isadia, the floral design studio co-owned by Lydia Reusser and Isabel Johnston. When most customers are used to busy, ball-shaped bouquets – the more is more approach – it takes both vision and daring to do something outside the box, or outside the ball as is the case at Isadia. But it’s an approach that is paying dividends. The studio has garnered a stellar reputation for its designs, which are simultaneously sculptural and naturalistic.
“My mum’s wild garden gave me an appreciation of plants as they are in their natural state,” says Lydia, who grew up in the remote Wairahi Valley on Great Barrier Island, picking flowers, fruit and vegetables from her mother, Sue Reusser’s, verdant, permaculture garden. The “unexpected combinations of colours, random heights, depth, volume, changing seasons and letting things go to seed” made visual impressions on Lydia that play a significant role in her designs at Isadia.
The business idea came about when Lydia and Isabel were working together as freelance florists and realised that their visions aligned. With a clever portmanteau for a name and some beautiful branding, Isadia came to fruition in 2020. After operating from a site in downtown Auckland for several years, Isadia moved into this Uptown space in August 2023.
“There was already a florist in here and we could see the space seemed perfect,” says Lydia. “We took over the lease and moved into what was a pretty rustic space. Well, it still is quite rustic!” she laughs. A few improvements have made it into a space of calm and structure, with an underlying charm from its heritage elements.
“This was Cowan’s Bakery, the original bakery for Mt Eden,” Lydia explains, sharing a photograph taken in the late 1890s of founder Claude Cowan on his delivery gig. On the exterior of the building, an overhead loading gantry remains in situ, as well as a hitching tie
for horses. The original ovens lie dormant beyond a temporary wall, behind the layers of flowers and shelves of handmade ceramics.
The photo is kept in an iron safe, which was too heavy to move and remains in its original spot on the upstairs level. That level is now
occupied by second-hand and handmade store On Hand, but also accommodates floral workshops and other events occasionally held by Isadia.
“This was Cowan’s Bakery, the original bakery for Mt Eden,” Lydia explains, sharing a photograph taken in the late 1890s of founder Claude Cowan on his delivery gig. On the exterior of the building, an overhead loading gantry remains in situ, as well as a hitching tie
for horses. The original ovens lie dormant beyond a temporary wall, behind the layers of flowers and shelves of handmade ceramics. The photo is kept in an iron safe, which was too heavy to move and remains in its original spot on the upstairs level. That level is now
occupied by second-hand and handmade store On Hand, but also accommodates floral workshops and other events occasionally held by Isadia.
Every day is different at this all-female business, where Lydia is joined by Millie Dunstall and Amy Laidler (Isabel is currently on maternity leave). All four women have design backgrounds that stretch back prior to landing in floristry. Lydia first studied fine art and then landscape design, the same degree as Isabel. Millie studied fine art, and Amy interior architecture.
In this studio that smells like the Wintergarden at the Domain, the women busily work away on their various tasks: taking orders; creating arrangements for regular clients; shop orders; a diverse array of events; and delivering arrangements and collecting spent ones. Green waste collects below the work table as the day progresses to a soundtrack of snipping. The occasional customer walks in off the street to order a bunch or buy stems individually. Although the studio is set back from busy Mt Eden Rd, and the business’ steady trade is mostly online and standing orders, Lydia says foot traffic has been surprisingly good; lots of curious folks walk by a few times before finally coming in the door.'
Arranging displays in custom-made ceramic vases with fitted kenzans
(a block of spikes used for ikebana) allows Isadia to reduce its environmental footprint. “We’re not perfect,” says Lydia, “but we do our best not to use foam.” A kenzan is a lot more expensive than foam,
but if they make it back to the studio after an event or regular client arrangement is finished, they can be used over and over. Esteemed brands Gucci, Emma Lewisham, Kowtow, Tiffany & Co, Simon James and The Hotel Britomart are among Isadia’s regular client base.
Further enhancing the uniqueness of Isadia designs is that the business opts to only buy flowers that are in season. “We tend to shy away from the flower varieties you can get year-round,” says Lydia. That means they might not be able to fulfil demands for gerberas or lilies, but it’s an opportunity to get creative with what is available in season and to surprise and delight customers with arrangements that are always interesting.
Reflecting on what has become Isadia’s distinctive bespoke approach, Lydia says “I don’t think we realised how we had made such a challenge for ourselves until it came time to teach other people how to do what we do.”
Rolling with the seasons, embracing individuality, looking to nature for inspiration and stopping to smell the flowers. Daily life at Isadia seems like a pretty good prescription for us all.
1a Kelly St
Mt Eden
Delivery runs Monday to Friday, studio
open for collection Wednesday to Friday
9am-3pm
Phone: 027 296 7349
Email: flowers@isadia.co.nz
Website: https://www.isadia.co.nz/
Instagram:
@isadiafloral