Icon - Arrow LeftAn icon we use to indicate a rightwards action. Icon - Arrow RightAn icon we use to indicate a leftwards action. Icon - External LinkAn icon we use to indicate a button link is external. Icon - MessageThe icon we use to represent an email action. Icon - Down ChevronUsed to indicate a dropdown. Icon - CloseUsed to indicate a close action. Icon - Dropdown ArrowUsed to indicate a dropdown. Icon - Location PinUsed to showcase a location on a map. Icon - Zoom OutUsed to indicate a zoom out action on a map. Icon - Zoom InUsed to indicate a zoom in action on a map. Icon - SearchUsed to indicate a search action. Icon - EmailUsed to indicate an emai action. Icon - FacebookFacebooks brand mark for use in social sharing icons. flipboard Icon - InstagramInstagrams brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - PinterestPinterests brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - TwitterTwitters brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - Check MarkA check mark for checkbox buttons.
You are reading

Les Fleurs Sauvages: Givré in Gunma, Japan

Search

Les Fleurs Sauvages: Givré in Gunma, Japan

March 27, 2013

There are other people in Japan like myself in search of a brave florist like Yuko. When I discovered her shop, Givré, (whose name translates to “frosted”), it became my favorite instantly—but it isn’t easy to find.

I usually visit Givré while I wait for my lunch or afternoon tea from the restaurant next door, and by the time I finish up, my bouquet is ready—a blend of dried and fresh flowers similar to those I’ve seen growing in the French and Swiss countryside.

“We like the flowers that look natural, almost like wildflowers in a field,” says Yuko, who co-owns the shop with her husband. “Some might call them ‘weeds.’ In fact, when we opened the shop, we were worried that nobody would want to spend their money on the kind of flowers we like.”

Located in a nondescript building, the shop blends into a typical residential neighborhood in my hometown, Gunma, and you might not find it on your first try. The shop popped up four years ago and since its opening, Givré has become the best local resource for dried bouquets and wreaths and the rare floral varieties you don’t typically find in most Japanese shops. In addition to floral design, Yuko teaches a floral arranging lesson twice a month at Bottega 616, and the couple offers gardening design and wedding flower services. For more information, visit Givré online or in person if you are passing through Maebashi in Gunma.

Photography by Akiko Seki for Gardenista.

Above: Givré sources flowers from wholesale markets in Gunma and in Tokyo, where flowers are shipped in through Amsterdam.

Above: Yellow pincushions and leucadendron from South Africa.

Above: Dried hydrangea, lotus pods, and sphagnum moss hang from the window frame.

Above: A few varieties of ranunculus recently hybridized in Japan and rarely exported overseas.

Above: Pink sweet pea, roses, and ranunculus in the foreground.

Above: Thanks to Givré, you don’t have to have a green thumb. Are you too busy to change the water in your flower vase? It’s perfectly OK. This wreath used to be green and fresh. Just tell Yuko that you want to dry out your dying flowers, and she’ll know exactly what to do.

Above: Yuko designs a bouquet with pale pink roses.

Above: Tulips and blooming branches illuminated at night.

N.B.: For more outdoor inspiration in Japan, see Shopper’s Diary: Shokubuteten Kohii in Tokyo and my hike through the Soni Highland in Nara.

(Visited 199 times, 1 visits today)
You need to login or register to view and manage your bookmarks.

Have a Question or Comment About This Post?

Join the conversation

v5.0