Fragrant stocks are back in season thanks to our lovely grower in Suffolk! They have arrived a little later than anticipated due to the cold start to March, but they're worth the wait. It's been lovely to have the scent fill the studio again. Stocks are a flower crop that does really well in this country and they are often associated with an 'English garden'. They are part of the cabbage family and actually edible, so you could grow them to make a very pretty salad. We've got an interesting colour combo this week with deep reds and peaches from the hellebores, the stocks, flowering currant and alstroemeria. What's in the posy? Laurustinus, hornbeam, stock, alstroemeria, salal, flowering currant. What's fragrant?...
A British Flower subscription! Flowers are the one gift universally found to result in an immediate uplift in mood and a 'true' smile from the recipient. If you're giving Mum flowers this weekend, look out for that smile! Tucked inside the posies this week is the first of the flowering currant. This shrub is one of the earliest to flower and is really useful to feed those hungry queen bumblebees that have started to emerge from hibernation. Swedish scientists have found they are emerging on average five days earlier than two decades ago, so they need all the help they can get. The leaves and flowers of the flowering currant have a distinctive scent (which I personally think smells really...
It's the delicate Leucojum aestivum, aka the snowflake, snowbell or dewdrop! Sadly for my children, we haven't had any actual snow in Bournemouth this week, but these long-stemmed beauties add a spot of winter magic to the posies. Snowflakes are part of the Amaryllis family and can be easily established as a garden patch, providing early pollen for insects in moist soil with full sun or partial shade. Adults have used the term 'snowflake' in recent years as an insult for children born in the 2010s, implying their lack of resilience. Seeing how children have had to deal with so much change, disruption and uncertainty in recent years, they are probably, as a result, far more resilient than any previous...
March sees the start of this year's ranunculus season, yippee! So lovely to see these beauties again. These ones are grown under glass in Cornwall, so they've had a head start. Expect British outdoor ranunculus to be a good few weeks behind. These gentle pinks and corals are a favourite colour combo for brides as they are complimentary but have a contemporary feel at the same time. It's been a difficult time for me and my family as we lost my dad in January. Flowers have played an important part in the process and I enjoyed arranging flowers for his cremation and memorial services. Flowers are a visual and public way to express feelings, shared emotions and gratitude. Dad's favourite...
Looking after your British flower posy It's not rocket science, but a little bit of care can help your flowers last twice as long...If your flower stems have arrived in gel or are dry-tipped, the stems will need to be recut. A nice sharp cut at the bottom will enable water to travel up the stem easily, a bit like a straw, to rehydrate the flower at the top. If you're scissors or secateurs aren't up to cutting woody stems, then just cut the fleshy ones.There's one exception to the recutting rule and that's daffodils. These Welsh favourites emit a sticky sap to the water that other flowers don't like very much, especially tulips and freesias. When mixed with other flowers, I try not to recut narcissi and daffodils to minimise the amount of...
