Its all go in the Parlour this week with a total flurry of Christmas activity. It is my favourite time of year. Huge installations, giant wreaths, gorgeous winter plants and a whole host of beautiful foliage to adorn wreath after wreath.
One of our favourite numbers leaving the shop this week is this huge gypsophilia wreath .Its completely brimming with the stuff. I think we may sneak to the owners house and take a photo of this beauty in its new home (the owner has a rather fabulous front door) I can help but think how beautiful these would look hanging from a barn door for a winter wedding.
We have also been table centre a go go, with our regular clients installing their Christmas decorations in hotels and restaurants. These cheeky little numbers are perfect for a table, and with such a long life, they will last from now until the big C-Day.
In the meantime Mariah is joining us for general cheery Christmas spirit and japes.
On Saturday we finished our last wedding of the year and boy oh boy did we go out with a bang. Gemma and Ben tied the knot at the gorgeous Herons Barn in Pangbourne and we were there in true Green Parlour style to floral up the affair.
I love every wedding we do for lots of different floral reasons from muscari in March, peonies in June to English roses in August. November is not skimping on the floral front either, you are spoilt for choice with some of my all time favourite flowers. November weddings should be filled with blousy marshmallow ranunculus, the emergence of anemones and the textures from the amazing foliage that is around in abundance at this time of year.
Gemma's bouquet was filled with all sorts of goodies, from textures of succulent, berried viburnum, scabiosa seed pod heads, Mentha roses, anemones, ranunculus berried eucalytpus .... the list goes on!
Dressed in rich champagne gold the 'Maids held a miniature version of Gemma's bouquet with Mentha roses, eryngium, lisianthus and foliage textures. Pretty 'Maids all in a row.
So weddings, until next year. We've had a ball and some very happy brides and grooms. We're busy talking to lots of 2015 couples and I can tell you we've got some great things tucked up our sleeves. We can't wait to show you all the snaps.
With winter drawing close its the season of the cyclamen. Today's Botanical Bible will tell you the need-to-know information for caring for this winter beauty.
Cyclamen really are the most beautiful addition to your internal winter planting scheme. A plant with gorgeous foliage as well as flowers and a plant, that if cared for, will adorn your house for many many months.
How many plants can boast interesting foliage and beautiful flowers and be forgiving on your hit and miss plant care routine. Her name is cyclamen and I guarantee she will steal your heart ...
1. Every house has a colder room, that's maybe a bit drafty. Whist other plants may shrivel and die been placed in such conditions, this is the perfect space for our winter belle. Keep the temperature around 13c and she will be one happy lady. Our kitchen is often found housing a multitude of winter cyclamen, but be aware of chilly nights and bring them into the room for protection.
2. These beauties hate to sit in water, and worse than that they absolutely loath been watered from the top. Stand your cyclamen in a pot of water an inch or so deep overnight and then let them drain. You want the compost to dry out a touch before repeating the process. Fear not, if you've neglected your cyclamen, all will (generally) be forgiven, just get back in your watering groove.
3. Cyclamen love a light location, but if its too sunny, the plant starts to believe its time for a rest and will start to shut down believing its summer. My kitchen window seems to be the perfect combination of cool but a light location.
4. Make the most of your cyclamen, I bring mine onto our dining room table when unexpected guests arrive. Instant floral decoration at a moments notice!
5. There are some great tips on getting cyclamen to re-flower year after year. You want to encourage the plant into a dormant state during the summer months, with little water in a light location. The pot will almost appear void of life. When bringing the cyclamen back inside, begin your normal watering routine and eventually growth will re-appear.
Is it finally winter yet? A balmy 22degree October, November are you listening? I'm ready for sub zero!
There is nothing like a cold snap to get you into the festive preparation mood. This week we are all about Christmas ... in tee shirts, not the usual thermal wooly tights.
Whilst most people are wallowing about the evenings drawing in, the dark afternoons, I love the excitement that autumn and winter bring. The Christmas decorations are slowly but surely filtering in, and I have to say it is totally my favourite time of the year. I love the dark nights, when all the shops are lit like magical fairytale sweet shops, filled with exciting gifts. All the cards that are lovingly written and equally lovingly displayed. Time to gather thoughts, new ideas.
Door wreaths
Golds
Ambers
The scent of cinnamon
We are busy planning exciting projects for 2015 and we can't wait to share them with you. We have a new flower school season, styled shoots and tons of wedding gorgeousness. With our penultimate wedding of the year just around the corner, its lovely to take stock, to think about all the beautiful weddings we've floraled up over 2014 and consider all the possibilities that 2015 will bring.
But for now we have wreaths to make ... and lots of them!
As the winter draws ever closer, its not just the time for film and television royalty to celebrate their award season, us weding industry professionals also get a look in.
We're so delighted to be announced as regional finalists for Best Wedding Florist for London and the South East, as awarded by the Wedding Industry Awards.
I won't rattle into my speech now, but it is a total delight to be recognised by an industry body doing something you love. I must also say a huge thanks to all our couples, firstly for letting us create the flowers for your wedding and also for voting for us. It truly means the world!
So keep everything crossed for us on Tuesday 25th November, when the regional winner will be announced. Whatever happens, we will be raising a glass. Chin chin!
Auto response: Out of office
I'm sorry I'm currently away from my desk at the moment. I'm enjoying autumn sun, spending time with my family and filling my mind with creativity.
I value your email, and your request is really important to me, however I'm not going to respond until my return, because I'm recharging my batteries. It will mean I'm at my best when I do respond.
Normal service will resume on Monday
Best wishes
Emma
So after stumbling across this rather brilliant quote by the equally rather brilliant Sylvia Plath I just had to share some thoughts on self-doubt.
My confession:
Workaholic.
Flower obsessive.
And part-time self doubter.
The more stressed I get the harder it is so see which creative route to take and the more I start doubting. Do you ever get that? I spend near enough my whole conscious hours thinking about flowers - I wake up thinking about them, work with them all day, talk about them almost 24/7. We are talking about a full on floral love affair. And sometimes you need a little time out! Time to banish the stress induced self-doubt particles to room 101 and give your mind some space to begin creating.
Sometimes it takes some enforced time out to make you stop the steam train and enjoy the view. Its so hard to stop, but the rewards are far greater. Every time I start self-doubting I have a host of butt-kicking tricks that soon sort me out, so if your in a rut, I hope these tricks will help you find your groove:
So this week, I won't be replying to your email's until I return to work. In this crazy email obsessed world "must have a response within 24 hours" I'm bucking the trend for 1 week. I'm enjoying my timeout with my family. I'm busy running through autumn leaves, painting, create huge traffic jams with toy cars, baking , eat home-made grub and kicking self-doubt in the back.
Carrying on whats fast becoming our most read feature, this week in our Botanical SOS series we tackle the exotic Phalaenopsis Orchid.
There are so many different aspects to orchid care, and I would like to point out at this stage we are amateur orchid carers, but our guide will give you the basics to get the most out of this elegant wonder.
Orchids are associated with luxury and elegance. Long stems are adorned with delicate blooms and if you care for this exotic beauty, she will reward you with lots of flowers lasting many many months.
1. Orchids love a constant temperature, if your comfortable they are! So if the temperature dips, its a great excuse to hit the instant heating button, she is also super tolerant to the drier heat of the central heating. Keep this exotic between 16c -30c and she will be a happy lady.
2. The views of watering an orchid are much discussed and debated. What works for me is lining a tray with stones and keeping this topped up with water. I should point out the orchid is sitting above the water, keep chanting the mantra 'free draining' This stone/water system creates humidity which seems to work wonders. Once a week I give mine a soaking all the way thorough with sporadic orchid food!
3. Using the term light but not direct sunlight is like reading the dreaded words smart casual on a party invitation. What does it even mean! Near a window that doesn't get scorching sun all day should be perfect. I've found an east facing window works best for me.
4. The holy bible of re-flowering. When the orchid has almost finished flowering trim the orchid to the highest node. These nodes are little bumps that line the stem and show the growth of the plant. If you wait until the flowers have completely died back, cut the stem lower to encourage new growth. If you leave it too long the stem dies back and will eventually need to be removed for the health of the plant.
5. Leaf health. This is a great tip for orchids, if your leaves are firm and pointing towards the sky then generally your plant is in excellent health. Floppy leaves often indicate your plant is feeling a little sorry for itself. Look at your watering routine and temperature!
Missed our Botanical SOS on my favourite Maidenshair Fern? Read all about it here ... Botanical SOS - Maidenshair Fern
Roll up, roll up! The class bell is ringing and we're super excited to reveal our 2015 Flower School Timetable.
Whether your a beginner starting out or a florist wanting some fresh inspiration our courses are designed to be jam packed with tons of floral knowledge aimed to inspire and fill you with the confidence to flower up your life.
As well as offering some of our most popular courses, this year we have introduced some new subjects that are at the forefront of floral design and the DIY trend.
Over the coming weeks we'll be providing you with lots of information on our courses giving you the low-down on what to expect and some top tips on why you should visit our flower school.
For the meantime check out our timetable below:
Saturday 24th January 2015 15:00 - 16:00
Friday 27th February 2015 19:00 - 20:00
The hottest floral trend is hitting our flower school. This fun filled class shows you how to create flowercrowns for a night out or everyday wear. We provide all the know-how, the flowers and the inspiration to create your very own crown. Course limited to 6 people. Book your place by calling 0118 984 4000
£25.00 per person
Monday 23rd March 2015 19:00 - 21:00
Tuesday 23rd June 2015 19:00 - 21:00
Tuesday 3rd November 2015 19:00 - 21:00
Learn how to create our signature hand-tied bouquet using the freshest seasonal flowers. This course will teach you the tricks of the trade and give you the confidence to produce wonderful hand-tied bouquets for your home and gifts for friends. Suitable for all abilities, this course is limited to 6 places. The price includes all flowers and sundries, and light refreshments. Please book in advance as places are limited.
£55.00 per person
Friday 27th March 2015 19:00 - 21:30
Monday 19th October 2015 19:00 - 21:30
Getting married? This is the course for you! Learn the basics for creating your own bouquet using the best seasonal flowers. Emma, our wedding co-ordinator will also be on hand for a question and answer session where you will have the chance to learn about specific flower suggestions for your big day. Places on this course are limited to 4 people. Price includes all flowers, a glass of Prosecco and light refreshments. Please book in advance as places are limited.
£90.00 per person
Tuesday 21st July 2015 19:00 - 21:00
We show you how to floral up the beloved apple crate. Using oasis and a plethora of gorgeous seasonal flowers, your arrangement will create a quirky take on traditional techniques. This course will teach you the tricks of the trade, talking you through the process step by step. Suitable for all abilities, this course is limited to 6 places. The price includes all flowers and sundries, and light refreshments. Please book in advance as places are limited.
£65.00 per person
Thursday 8th October 2015 19:00 - 21:00
Our tutors will teach you how to make wonderful floral displays for your table. With lots of tips and tricks about candlelight, place settings and napkin decoration as well as learning how to make a central display to adorm your table, this course really is the perfect for those who love to entertain. Suitable for all abilities, this course is limited to 6 places. The price includes all flowers and sundries, and light refreshments. Please book in advance as places are limited.
£55.00 per person
Friday 11th December 2015 19:30 - 21:30
Monday 14th December 2015 19:30 - 21:30
Tuesday 15th December 2015 19:30 - 21:30
Wednesday 16th December 2015 19:30 - 21:30
The perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit. Our Christmas door wreath class provides you with all the know-how and materials to make your own stunning festive fresh floral decoration for your door. Suitable for all abilities, this course is limited to 6 places. The price includes all flowers and sundries, a glass of mulled wine and minced pies. Please book in advance as places are limited.
£55.00 per person
