Gum & Plum delivers heartfelt floral artistry that celebrates the diversity and uniqueness of Australian flora. Our designs are wild, textural and earthy - just like our bushland. We are passionate about preserving the beauty of our backyard by minimising our footprint on the land, and working with like-minded folk who share our values.
Founder
Hi, I’m Keely. You’ll find me among the flowers.
Gum & Plum has emerged from a lifelong connection to nature. Raised by a family of garden lovers, I gained an early appreciation for the rhythm of the seasons and the importance of preserving our environment.
I’ve always been drawn to Australian flora. I love the unusual forms, textures, and habits. After travelling abroad, I realised how under-appreciated it is. Gum & Plum is my way of changing that – making native florals a natural, meaningful choice for weddings and events. Admired not just for their beauty, but for their story and sense of place.
Gum & Plum is the meeting point of two core passions: sustainability and floristry. I believe they belong together. Together with my family, we’re working towards establishing our own native flower farm in order to reduce travel emissions, support biodiversity, and increase our access to fresh and interesting native botanicals worth celebrating.
fig. 1 Keely O’Keefe, Founder and Creative Director
Sustainability
Born from a deep love and appreciation for our natural environment, we operate with our Earth at the forefront. For us, sustainability is not an afterthought – it’s the foundation of our business.
We exclusively use Australian grown native flowers, and try to source as much as we can from local growers. We also strive to always buy Australian made vases, ribbons, and other sundries. Where this is not possible, we choose sustainably produced items from ethical businesses.
We invest in premium, durable vessels and mechanics that can be reused indefinitely, and eliminate the need for single-use items as much as possible.
We intentionally design our arrangements to minimise waste, and recycle any materials that cannot be salvaged. We never use floral foam (a toxic, single-use microplastic).
Clean wastewater is recycled to irrigate our cut flower garden.
After your event, we re-purpose any flowers you do not want to keep. Any spent flowers that are not salvageable are composted and returned to the soil.
fig. 2 Corymbia ficifolia in Kaye Poulton ceramic vessel
Process
Enquire
Submit an enquiry by clicking the link below. We will confirm our availability within 72 hours.
Consultation
We will schedule a short meeting with you (in person or online) to discuss your floral vision and gather the details required to create your proposal.
Proposal
Your custom proposal including an itemised quote will be emailed to you within 7 days of our consultation. You can make adjustments as desired.
Confirmation
Once you have approved the proposal, we will send you a contract and an invoice for a retainer of 30%. Your date will be secured as soon as we have received your signed contract and payment.
We will schedule a second meeting closer to the date of your event to finalise any last details. We know that your vision will be refined throughout the planning process, so this is also an opportunity to
make additions or modifications.
fig. 3 Vibrant reception at Mackenzie Quarters
FAQs
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Our home is Bendigo, Victoria. We’re available for weddings, events and special occasions across the state, but also welcome opportunities to work in other precious parts of our country.
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We may need to charge for travel or transport costs, depending on the location and requirements of your event. This will be outlined in your itemised quote.
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We dedicate a lot of time to designing your florals and ensuring you have a beautiful experience, so we limit the number of clients we take on each year. Our books open 18 months in advance for bespoke events, and we recommend reaching out early if you’d like to work with us. Once we have received your enquiry form we will confirm our availability within 72 hours.
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Our minimum spend for bespoke services is $2,000. If this does not align with your budget or your needs are more minimal, you can create a pre-designed package from our À la carte menu. See our À La Carte page.
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We’re eager to collaborate with like-minded businesses to promote environmental responsibility, and help others fall in love with the incredible beauty and diversity of our backyard. We’d love to hear your ideas. Send an email to hello@gumandplum.au
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Yes! Freelancing is one of my (Keely’s) favourite things. I love to work with other talented flower folk, and design in different ways with new ingredients. Let’s flower together. Send an email to hello@gumandplum.au
Something else? Let’s chat.
hello@gumandplum.au
@gumandplum
fig. 4 Wildgrass ceremony at Ravenswood Homestead
Instagram @gumandplum
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