We reached out to Gild & Gable who is a floral preservation artist here in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. We talked with artist Jillian Gardiner about her work as wedding seasons creeps up fast on us.
Gild & Gable can take your flowers from a memorable event like a wedding, birthday or funeral and make them last forever. This is such a unique way to preserve your special flowers an bouquets in Newfoundland.
Gild & Gable Interview
Newfoundland Buzz: Floral preservation is a delicate intersection of science and sentiment. What was the specific moment or perhaps a specific “hero” bouquet, that made you realize Newfoundland needed a dedicated service like Gild & Gable Floral Preservation?
Gild & Gable: At its core, Gild & Gable began with something deeply personal: I didn’t preserve my own bridal bouquet, and always wish I had! At the time, I didn’t realize how much meaning those flowers would carry, after the day had passed.
Working as an artist and designer, I was already drawn to the idea of safekeeping and how objects can quietly hold memory. Newfoundland is rooted in storytelling, in sentiment, in holding onto what matters. Gild & Gable was born from the belief that these special event flowers deserve more than a fleeting life. They can be transformed into something to hold onto, display and pass down through generations.
Newfoundland Buzz: Let’s talk logistics. Our province is vast, and flowers are perishable. If a bride is getting married in Western Newfoundland or the Labrador Straits, what are your “Golden Rules” for getting their fresh blooms to your studio in peak condition?
Gild & Gable: Timing and care are everything when it comes to preserving flowers. Ideally, bouquets are delivered to Gild & Gable within 1–5 days after the event. The sooner the flowers are processed and in the presses, the better their colour and shape will be preserved. In the meantime, it’s important to keep your bouquet in fresh water, out of direct sunlight and heat until delivery.
For clients across the province, there are a couple of reliable options. Many choose to send their flowers with a trusted friend or family member travelling back toward the Avalon. Courier or overnight shipping is also a great option and I provide detailed packaging instructions to ensure the blooms are well-supported, hydrated, and protected in transit.
Newfoundland Buzz: Many people don’t realize the complexity of Floral Preservation. What are the technical differences between professional preservation and a “DIY” approach? Why choose Gild & Gable?
Gild & Gable: Many people are surprised to learn just how much nuance goes into floral preservation. While DIY methods can be meaningful, they often lead to unpredictable results. Browning, bruised and broken petals, loss of colour and mould; simply because timing, pressure, airflow, and environmental conditions aren’t carefully controlled.
Professional preservation is a much more intentional and technical process. Each flower is assessed individually, then carefully deconstructed and pressed using traditional methods that prioritize both colour retention and structural integrity. The pressing process itself is strictly monitored with adjustments made to ensure each bloom dries evenly and beautifully. It’s not just about flattening flowers, it’s about preserving their essence.
As a trained artist with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, I approach this work through both a technical and creative lens. Composition and colour balance play a role in how each piece is ultimately designed. I pride myself on creating work that feels refined, timeless, and distinctly set apart from other preservation studios and welcome all custom design requests.
Choosing Gild & Gable means entrusting your flowers to someone who understands both the science behind preservation and the artistry required to transform them into meaningful, heirloom-quality pieces.
Newfoundland Buzz: Newfoundland’s gardens and wild landscapes offer unique flora, from Lupins to Peonies. Are there any local blooms that are particularly rewarding—or notoriously difficult—to preserve?
Gild & Gable: Much like professionally made, bridal bouquets, local Newfoundland flora and fauna lend themselves beautifully to pressing and preservation. I especially love foraging for wild roses, irises, daisies, and lupins around our family cabin in Terra Nova, as well as collaborating with Newfoundland flower farmers to preserve their stunning flowers and plants. Many local wildflowers are surprisingly resilient, but their scale and fragility require a thoughtful approach. It’s often about understanding each bloom individually; how it holds moisture, reacts to pressure and how its colour will evolve over time.
Newfoundland Buzz: Walk us through the timeline of a “Gild and Gable” piece. From the moment the flowers arrive at your studio to the final curing and finishing, what does that “behind-the-scenes” journey look like?
Gild & Gable: Floral preservation is a SLOW art form. When your flowers are accepted, they are deconstructed and pressed, in many cases, petal by petal. Presses are checked and papers are changed daily for the first 1-2 weeks. The pressing process takes up to 8 weeks for different flower types to press and dry completely ensuring all moisture is removed.
The next steps are reconstruction of each flower, colour correction, design and layout confirmation with each client and then completing the final artwork before framing utilizing archival materials, solid wood frames and UV anti-glare glass.
The entire process takes approximately 12-16 weeks and is often extended for those that book in during Newfoundland’s busy wedding season or for those who order multiple frames. It’s a long process but worth the wait to receive an artwork that lasts for generations to come!
Newfoundland Buzz: We often see these pieces as “functional heirlooms.” Beyond the traditional wedding bouquet, what are some of the most meaningful or unconventional florals you’ve been asked to preserve for a client?
Gild & Gable: The beautiful thing is, all sentimental flowers deserve to be treasured and preserved. Most notably, turning memorial arrangements into lasting artwork is a tangible way to honour and hold space for loss.
Beyond weddings, I’ve been asked to preserve flowers from many celebrations of life, anniversaries, baby showers, engagements, graduations and even backyard clippings to represent the hard work of an entire year of home gardening. All are meaningful, life milestones worth remembering.
Newfoundland Buzz: The name Gild and Gable suggests a blend of the ornate and the structural. How does that philosophy influence the way you “reconstruct” a bouquet within a frame?
Gild & Gable: The name Gild & Gable really speaks to the balance at the heart of what I do. The ornate and the structural, the delicate and the enduring.
Every bloom is handled with intention. A mix of ‘Gild’, the delicate precision and artistry and ‘Gable’, the science and structure behind preserving each bloom. It’s this blend of technical precision and artful creation that allows each piece to feel both grounded and expressive. Something that not only preserves the flowers themselves, but also the feeling they carried.
Newfoundland Buzz: For those planning a milestone event in 2026 or 2027, why is “pre-booking” so critical for floral preservation, and what is the first step they should take to secure their date?
Gild & Gable: Pre-booking is incredibly important for floral preservation, especially during Newfoundland’s busy wedding season, because I take on a limited number of clients each week. This ensures that every bouquet and subsequent artwork receives the time, care and attention it deserves throughout the preservation and design process.
Flowers are also time-sensitive, so having your spot secured in advance means everything is in place for a smooth handoff immediately after your event. No scrambling or uncertainty during an already busy time.
The first step is simple: reach out! Visit gildandgable.ca and fill out a ‘Client Request Form’ to begin the booking process. From there, I’ll guide you through next steps so you feel fully prepared when your event date arrives.