Musings of a flustered florist: June

“It’s not about being the best. It’s about being better than you were yesterday”

— Anon

I was recently nominated in the Muddy Stilettos awards to be Devon’s Best Florist.

Yes, it is exciting and flattering to have been nominated (I don’t know who started that for me but whoever you are - thank you)

I’m not normally a fan of this type of awards as they are based purely on a voting basis and therefore become more of a popularity contest than based on any actual business acumen.

But it did get me thinking. What would make me the “Best florist in Devon”

How do you define “the best”? Especially in relation to a florist?

Do I have the best qualifications? No I don’t. I don’t have a level five in British Floral Association qualifications. I don’t have a City and Guilds in floristry. I’m not sure I even got a girl guide badge for flower arranging. I do have a degree, a post grad diploma and grade five tap dancing - but none of which makes me the best florist.

Is my business the most flourishing? The best turnover or profit? Doubtful. I have a tiny shop (too small) I don’t have a team of staff. I don’t have any staff. It just little old me. And no offence to Bideford but it’s not the most thriving or affluent town in Devon.

Do I have ten of thousands of followers on social media? Would that make me “the best” It’s a tough business keeping on top of social media. There is a pressure to be posting the best photos, the best stories and now the best reels (don’t worry I don’t really get it either) and you can’t help but stare at your follower numbers willing them to increase. (Why? I honestly don’t know. Maybe because it will make me feel “better”)

Do people flock from all over the country to buy my flowers. Nope.

So how do we grade things “the best”. How often have you described products or businesses as “the best”. “It was the best chocolate brownie I’ve ever had”. I had the best nights sleep ever”. How do you know it’s the best chocolate brownie? You’ve not tried every chocolate brownie in the world? But at that moment in time that brownie tasted the best. You enjoyed it. It hit the mark.

But it is ultimately a matter of opinion. We don’t all like our chocolate brownies the same. (The degree of gooey is crucial) The surroundings in which you ate your chocolate brownie influence your statement. Your frame of mind. Your company.

Your opinion.

So I don’t know who originally nominated me for best florist in Devon. I don’t know who also then subsequently voted. But I do know that at that moment in time those people (2,3, 299 - I don’t know how many) but at that moment in time in their opinion I was the best florist in Devon. At that is truly humbling, amazing, gob smacking and honestly - slightly unbelievable.

I didn’t get enough votes to go through to the next stage. I know my social ineptness prevents me from the popularity contest part. But I will more than settle for the opinion of a few that I was fleetingly “the best”

Thank you.

(Congratulations to Amelia’s Flower Farm who was ultimately awarded Devon’s Best Florist. She is “the best”)

Musings of a flustered florist: April

“In dreams and in love there are no impossibilities”

— Janos Arany

April was the month of weddings. Obviously I have weddings all year round but there is definitely a key season and April is the first month of the peak season. January to March saw an average of four weddings a month and then bang! April had a total of 14 weddings. I love them! Every one different. Every one with a story. Every one bringing me anxiety. Yes, I do still get nervous when working on weddings.

“Wow! Thank you so much Heather, I was thrilled with my bouquet and flower headband. Absolutely perfect, better than I’d even hoped for.”

— Nicola - April 2022

I may do almost a hundred a year but there is never any complacency. I create the bouquets and arrangements based on meetings, conversations and various communications with the couples. We may share pictures and mood boards and discuss vibes but this doesn’t guarantee I’ve got it bang on. So on delivery day as I take the bouquet into the brides room the nerves are always there. Have I got it right? Does she love it as much as me?

“I wanted to say a huge thanks for the amazing and perfect flowers you did for my wedding at Millbrook. I was blown away and particularly with the detailed arrangement of the hair piece”

— Sandy - April 2022

Fourteen weddings in April. That’s a lots of stress, a lots of sleepless nights, a lot of “what ifs?” (A lot of cups of tea). But if a florist can’t live off adrenaline then what can she do!

There had been roses and peonies and protea and muscari and tulips and ranunculous. Each of these a requested brides favourite. A special meaning. Memories for the future.

“Just wanted to say a HUGE thank you for the flowers for our day, they were absolutely beautiful, better than I could have imagined! You got my style and colour palette spot on”

— Charlie - April 2022

Musings of a flustered florist: March

“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade”

— Charles Dickens

Another month gone and not sure where that one went - again. On paper it wasn’t a particularly busy month but the weeks have been full. And hasn’t the weather been fab? Everything is better in the sunshine. 

The month started with a wedding. A wedding that’s been postponed a few times in the last couple of years. But we got there eventually. It was lovely palette of vintage hues. Soft mauves and pinks. I must confess it’s one of my favourite mixes and it means I get to go play with two of my favourite roses - the blush of quicksand and the blue of amnesia. It’s a match made in heaven. And best of all the sun was out and it was my first outside ceremony of the year. 

Spring is definitely the theme of the month. I “popped” up to Bristol for a spring shopping spree. Filled the van to the brim with some beautiful blooms and oodles of plants and spring bulbs   Now the shop is starting to warm up a bit (well it’s above freezing in there most days ) it’s time to fill it with houseplants. Lots of your favourites (blue ferns, succulents, spider plants) and some newbies; Oxalis triangularis, moonshine sanseveria 

And with this sunshine, who can resist some pretty spring bulbs. Muscari- in white and blue and some scented miniature daffodils. Perfect for inside or out. 

Normally I’m a lone wolf working by myself week in week out. But this month I’ve have a variety of company. First up - an incredible six former on work experience. Only in for a couple of days but I must say how impressed I was with her. Confident, mature and great customer service. Nothing like me when I was a teenager! She also tried to share with me the dark art of video editing for social media. Watch this space…..

Mothers Day is of course a key date in the florists calendar. I do have to limit myself and learn to say “no” as there is only so much I can do. Plenty of pre planning. And prep and the other “p”s of position and perform. I have to say I actually really enjoyed this Mother’s Day. So so many beautiful bouquets so many beautiful flowers, beautiful messages - and a day of beautiful sentiment to celebrate mothers and mother like figures in peoples lives. And a touch of rare smugness - it went without a hitch! 

I owe some special thanks of Mother’s Day organisation to the return of my Christmas elf, Aimee. Some of you may remember her from helping me out in the shop on the run up to Christmas. So it was great to have her back at another busy time. 

I have to say that with both Aimee and Lani who are 15 and 16 respectively- I was so amazed by their commitment, their performance, aptitude and ability. They are both girls that will go far in this world and I confess changed my view of the “yoof” of today. 

I was still sweeping the floors following the mayhem of Mother’s Day when we had the first outdoor setup of the season for a wedding at scenic Sandycove. The pergola overlooking the ocean is a stunning setting. Roses, English grown tulips and exotic orchids worked wonderfully together within  the colour scheme. But once again I was not alone because I now have the pleasure of introducing a new recruit to the Church Park Flowers team - Beth. She’s my Kickstarter. Part of a government apprentice scheme, Beth will be onboard to learn the ropes and discover if the life of a florist is for her! I’m sure she’ll pop up frequently in my monthly musings but if you’re in the area make sure you pop in to say “hi” and make her feel welcome (she likes chocolate biscuits too!)   

So an organised and successful March - buoyed up with some springtime sunshine (snow is forecasted for the start of April!) And with two of us now in the hood you can expect double the output in coming months. 

Musings of a flustered florist: February

“Victory”
Eunice is a feminine given name, from the Greek “Eunike”, from “eu”, good and “nike”, victory”

— wikipedia

“Hello? Church Park Flowers…”

“Is that Curry’s customer service?”

Just one example of random phone calls I receive. But being February I was hoping for the phone to be ringing off the hook with guys ordering red roses by the dozen. Now, I know 99.9 % of girls don’t want red roses - they prefer pink or white or actually just a pretty mixed seasonal bouquet. But to be honest we would be chuffed / suspicious (delete where appropriate) to receive any fabulous flowers on Valentines. It’s not how it used to be, gone are the days where I’d be knee deep in thorns and rose leaves, cursing as yet another thorn tears through my knuckles. Writing the most inappropriate and cryptic messages in to cards. Making clandestine deliveries to places of work and trying to work out more love triangles than an episode of Hollyoaks. (No I don’t actually watch it but that would be my guess) 

These days the romantic gentleman are bombarded by the likes of Lidl’s where they think they can satisfy their partners romantic demands with a teddy, bunch of flowers, dodgy prosecco and naff card for less than a fiver   Look at their smug faces as they scurry across the car parks - just wish I could see the less than genuine grateful smiles of the receiver. Do I sound bitter? Maybe. Everyone just assumes the florist is soo so busy at Valentines and we must be coining it in. The reality is that flower prices are still sky high with gas and freight charges and that before you add the global demand pricing for Valentines. Supply is very tricky at the moment with less planes flying around, less being grown and everyone after the limited stock there is- a perfect storm. (More on that later)

With such uncertainty all around and to try and secure the best prices - I actually had to put my Valentines flower order in before the end of January at which point my order book was empty. So it’s a leap of faith and complete guess work. As Valentines falls on a different day each year it also affects shopping patterns of the lesser spotted romantic male. 

So several hundred of flowers in all colours of the rainbow - with a bias towards reds and pink - started arriving the beginning of February. It looked a lot. It was a lot. The invoice looked a lot. It was a lot. But you just keep the faith and start conditioning, leaf stripping and bouquet making. And just when you think our romantic partners are going to let us down then they emerge with soppy messages in tow and start to order and buy and send and choose flowers. It warmed my heart. There was still love  in the air - I could feel it in my fingers (sore) and I could feel it in my toes (cold) To those of you who received some Church Park Flowers for Valentine’s Day, I hope you felt loved too - because I did in my little blue shop. 

Mad days like Valentines are obviously followed by cleaning up - reorganising the shop and getting back on an even keel. But Eunice had other ideas! The worst storm in eons predicted to hit the South West and I had four weddings in the week of the worse weather. There goes the stress levels - again. Firstly, would the flowers be able to get to me. Planes, boats and road travel was rather risky at best. Cue frantic emails and messages. But all was good with beautiful quality wedding blooms making it safely to the shop.

The first wedding of storm week was a long postponed pre Covid wedding. two years later and they eventually managed to say “I Do”, even if the coastal view was a bit wild. It then quickly became apparent that I would not be opening the shop on the Friday of the worse predicted weather so a quick shuffle of workload and some “taking my work home with me” followed. 

Friday saw me bunkered down at home watching the polytunnel give in to the worst winds and then losing power. To be fair , both were to be expected but still a bit frustrating when it happens! I managed to keep Saturdays wedding flowers safe at home and set off with plenty of time to deliver as never sure how many trees would be down. Luckily I still had power at the shop - helpful to recharge everything we had from home as we would have three days without power- heat- light- internet- phone signal - hot water etc. We survived but not wanting a repeat of that anytime soon. The kids did not appreciate me telling them how lucky they are and if they were only born in Victorian times etc etc…. (Much eye rolling!) 

More backlogs of admin after loss of internet but one day I will get on top of it….

Twos-day! Who knew it was such a thing. I must admit than when I originally booked two weddings for the special date I was a bit surprised to have two bookings for a Tuesday in February. But the date was so unique; 22022022. How cool was that for your wedding date! So two sets of lovely ladies tying the knot on an unique date. One an elopement occasion. Just the two of them, pared back, nice and simple and just what they wanted it to be. The other - well a whole hotel booked out for family and friends for three days of partying. Two different ways of celebrating the same special occasion. One wedding day and date not to be forgotten.

And the just as you are getting into the swing of February it comes to an end. Abruptly. Almost unexpectedly. These short months take you by surprise. but I will count it as a “victory” to have survived Valentines, storms and special and varied weddings.

Next up: March.  Dare I say Spring and the promise that brings. Let’s see…..

Choosing the best wedding florist for you. (Me of course!)

“It’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.”

— Roy E Disney

Happy (!) New Year!

A bit late to the party and I’m sure we can all agree it’s not got off to the most fantastic of beginnings but hopefully for some lucky couples it is the start of something exciting…….

Did your partner ‘pop’ the question over the festive season? If so, then a massive CONGRATULATIONS! And now the fun can really start as you begin to plan your big day (Or not so big under current restrictions). You’ll have plenty of choices and decisions to make over all sort of details you haven’t even thought of yet but it should be a fun and not stressful pastime.

One of the most important decisions is choosing your florist, Obvs! So I could write a fantastic blog about how you should go about this, or I could just use one already written by the tremendous Anthony Lyons of Special Day Wedding Photos! Anthony is a talented local North Devon photographer who I have had the pleasure of working with. (Most recently on a photoshoot at Moreton House just a week before Lockdown One - How little we knew then….)

Anthony contacted me towards the end of last year asking for some input to a blog he was writing about choosing a wedding florist. As he was so kind to incorporate so many of my thoughts, I feel it is only right to share his take on it rather than my totally biased opinion.

Of course it goes without saying that if you looking for a wedding photographer for your North Devon wedding then Anthony should be at the top of your list!

Read on for his opening gambit - and then click on the link to find out what wise words I offer up on choosing the right florist for you.

…….Planning for all aspects of your wedding day is very important. You want it all to come together into a glorious vision you will never forget. Choosing a wedding florist is one of the most important tasks for planning any wedding. Choosing an experienced florist that can help you plan how to use and decorate your space is really important in achieving your dream look. There are many things to consider when hiring a wedding florist, such as, can they work with your budget, have they worked at your venue before, or can they produce a style of wedding flowers that will suit the theme of your wedding? There are many things to consider and hopefully some of your questions will be answered below……..

Read more - including my input - at Special Day Wedding Photos

Colourful wedding after the Covid Storm

“I think I have more patience now than I did in the past”

— T. Boone Pickens

A wedding! Yay!

I think after the last four months we all have a lot more patience than we did before. We’ve waited. We’ve waited to stay safe, we’ve waited to see family, to see friends, to go out for a drink, to go to the shops, for toilet roll to be back in stock, to return to work…… and for some, to get married.

This was supposed to be my fourth wedding of 2020 back in early April! And guess what? It’s still my fourth wedding after seven months of the year. My first post lockdown wedding. Doing a quick tot up I should have been at around twenty-two weddings in by now, so around 19 of my brides have had to postpone so far this year and there were no April, May or June brides. We missed the peony season, we missed the ranunculous season, we just missed weddings.

But they are back. Albeit a little bit smaller, a little bit different. But actually this particular wedding was no different from its original planned form. It was only ever going to be the two of them. An elopement wedding in some ways. Or just a small intimate wedding in others. Held at the award winning Millbrook Estate - who specialise in small weddings. They had to change date twice so as Jane the bride said “third time lucky” and patience has paid off. Both original dates were wet and windy (per the norm round here) but on the true day. Sunshine. Sunshine and smiles.

If you were looking you might have seen some small differences to the wedding; professional hair yes, but not bridal makeup (she looked fab) the registrars and witness / coordinator at a safe distance. But the dress was there, the flowers, the photographer, the cake and the glass of bubbly afterwards. Perfect. What more would you need to celebrate your day.

The wedding memories were captured by the fabulous Maria Broome. It was her first wedding post lockdown too but she had nothing but positivity to share;

“…Finally being able to join Steve and Jane for their much awaited special day was an absolute joy, and with the low numbers and masses of outdoor space there was nothing to be worried about, in fact I don’t think anyone would have noticed much difference, at the end of the day the two people who need to be close to each other are, and standing back and watching that is a natural part of my work….. my lenses have long enforced what we now call “social distancing”….. a hug or a hand shake at the end of the day is the only thing missing, but its a small price to pay!”

I could not have put it better myself!!

All good things come to those who wait….. and for Jane and Steve it was well worth the wait.

Elopement Wedding Flowers - the brave and the bold

“Many people spend more time in planning the wedding than they do in planning the marriage”

— Zig Ziglar

A marriage is between two people. Yourself and your love. Most people want to share this special event with family, friends, friends of family, family of friends – and anyone else who they may have bumped into on the bus.

But a brave few choose to escape the centre of attention and opt for an elopement wedding. The choice to elope may be for any number of reasons – diplomatic, financial, personal – but the result is a day that just focuses on the two that really matter.

I’m extremely fortunate to be a recommended supplier for a local award winning wedding venue here in North Devon that specialises in small, intimate and elopement weddings. With two stunning locations in which to get married in and tranquil settings to relax and spend a couple of days together in, it’s easy to see why people choose the elopement option.

The weddings may be small – but they are perfectly formed. All elements are there – the dress, the hair, the cake, the styling, the photographer – and the flowers.

When it come to the flowers, there is no matching of bridesmaid dresses, no centrepieces to plan around table settings and outlandish themes. More often than not it’s just a bridal bouquet and a buttonhole. This does not make it any less important, in fact the opposite. The wedding is so much more focused on the ‘two’  - so flower choices are so much more personal and central to the day.

I rarely get to meet the couple, planning is often at short notice. But with the power of email, Pinterest and occasionally the phone we can work together to create that perfect wedding bouquet for that very special day.

They say there is safety in numbers, so again I say it’s the brave few that will stand up there and declare their love to each other without the fanfare, frivolity or fuss. Just personal perfection.

A year in the life of a florist in North Devon: 2019

“I always say the minute I stop making mistakes is the minute I stop learning and I definitely learned a lot”

— Miley Cyrus

As I’m sure we all do, January is a time to sit down and reflect on how things went last year. I do this on a personal scale but also more of a business audit as I also have accounts to put together for the HMRC

As it is a relatively quiet time it is also good to try and get ahead in planning for the year ahead and look at what went well and what could have gone better!

So, I thought – lets be honest and tell you how it really was to be a florist in 2019!

Behind the scenes

The year always starts quiet – so I have such good intentions of planning, tidying etc. For the last three years I have promised myself that I will redo my website. I have built my own website using Squarespace. Self-taught, it’s not too bad but I do recognise that it needs updating from a visual perspective (New images etc) and a new layout to mirror the growing trend of predominantly mobile usage. I also feel it looks a bit dated (do you agree?) and could really benefit from a freshen up. In theory this shouldn’t be a difficult job. Most of the copy is there. The structure is there. I have stacks of new photos. But I’m scared. The current website may not be perfect – but it works. What if I re jig things and it doesn’t work! A success of a business can really be affected by its’ Google ranking. When you Google ‘Wedding flowers in North Devon’ – I need to be at the top. Not three pages down. I needs to be brave and go for it as the longer I leave it the more dated it becomes…..

Growing British Flowers (or not)

January is also the key month for taking stock (Both physically and virtually) of seeds and what to plant. By this stage I normally have lists of what seeds I have and what ones I need to get. What are the ones to stay in the patch, what to forget about and what to try new for this year. First honest confession; growing did not go well in 2019. I planned my planting and flower list for the year. I was realistic and really cut down on what I saw as ‘essential’ varieties and flowers to grow. I ordered the seeds, sorted out the greenhouse and bought a second propagator. It started well. Germination rates were higher than previous years and I was excited about the prospects ahead. But then it all went a bit wrong. Although germination was good, seedlings refused to grow. Nothing moved. I’m no horticultural expert, I have more of a sow and hope approach, but this was disappointing. After some embarrassed chats with more green fingered people than me – it seems like my failure may have been down to using cheap compost. Now, compost is expensive and I can use a lot so I do shop around online, around the garden centres, supermarkets etc to see where the best cost per litre is. And yes, I went for the cheapest. Seems like this was a big mistake as cheap does not equal good and said compost probably didn’t contain the right nutrients to get my seedlings underway and growing into strapping good plants. I failed my little offspring. I am ashamed. This had consequences:

Overall the number and quality of flowers I grew last year was significantly down. This meant I had to buy in lots more stock – British of course – which obviously impacted costs and overheads. That expense can make a crucial impact on any profit for the year. 

Still unsure what direction I want to take with growing this year. Maybe even fewer varieties and just concentrate on a handful of easy growers to get my confidence back up. It’s a lot of patience, time and work to get those blooms a blooming.

Weddings, weddings and more weddings

My main income stream is wedding flowers. And 2019 was the most amazing year for weddings. The final count was 51 weddings in the year. When you think that weddings are predominantly on Saturdays between May and September then you get an idea of workload. Of course not all of these weddings were big fancy affairs, I do a lot of small scale weddings where the request is just for a bridal bouquet and a buttonhole. But it still saw me doing at least 6 weddings every month in the key wedding season. Two a day is my max – and only if they are both of manageable size and located near each other. Ideally, I would only want one wedding on any given day. I did slip up last year and found myself booked for three weddings on one Saturday. Completely my fault and it shouldn’t have happened. All were completely different styles, not too far apart but included archways, flower crowns and copious bridesmaids and buttonholes. Because I was so worried about it I did actually plan and prep much more than I would normally in a working week. It was a lot of work and a lot of hours but I was really proud that it actually all come together and all went to schedule. Yes, I was tired and slightly stressed, and I’m never doing that again. But I did it. (an added complication was that I also had a courtesy car from the garage as my vehicle had spectacularly died the week before – more on that later)

If you don’t work in the floristry or wedding industry, then you may not realise how much work goes on behind the scenes in the actual planning and admin. It’s not all playing with pretty flowers you know!

Enquiries come in all year, sometimes several a week. All these need an initial response and then quotes, conversations, phone calls, face to face consultations – this all sometimes before I even have the booking! Email threads with upcoming brides can get a bit out of hand – I need to learn how to ‘manage’ this better as my record is a thread of 84 emails over one wedding! Add to this Facebook messages, whatsapp messages and texts and it can become a full time communications exercise. This was probably one of biggest areas of ‘failings’ last year. I struggled to keep on top of my admin and as current Brides obviously took priority, I was guilty of ‘forgetting’ future potential brides and as such I believe I lost some bookings for this year. Major learning in the consequences of being not as organised as I should be. There is no repeat business when it comes to weddings (!) so however amazing one year has been, you still have to keep working on the next.

But with a rare proud ‘me’ statement: I achieved over 50 weddings, single handed. Every one unique and special – and honestly enjoyed every one of them. I was proud of what I created. There were some stand out moments. A staircase at Halsannery, an arch at Sandycove, hanging hoops at a marquee, eleven bridesmaid bouquets, several jaw dropping bridal bouquets - and not a single issue. Flowers are obviously a natural product with no real guarantees of colour, quality and size. I rely on wholesalers for some of the stock and interpreting brides’ visions for their wedding is not always straightforward, so of course there is plenty of scope for ‘error’. But it was a perfect year for my perfect brides and for that I say a big ‘Thank You’ to all of them.

Mechanical failure

Of course it was not without a few stressful moments. Deliveries not complete, or wrong colours can cause a bit of panic but I must admit what let me down most in 2019 was my car! A trusty Volkswagon that actually was pretty Tardis like in its capacity but it had a rough year. On one wedding day I had delivered the bridal flowers to a bride at her cottage then was driving to deliver the buttonholes to the groom and drop off bouquets at the venue. Unfortunately, I then punctured a wheel in a spot with no mobile coverage and little ability of changing a wheel myself! I was utmostly grateful to a passerby who stopped and assisted and got me on my way before the ceremony started! But two weeks later it was all over – the car died on the North Devon Link road and was towed away. The garage tried hard to resuscitate it and I had a courtesy car for four weeks: a Fiat Panda!!!  The most un Tardis car there is. Try doing three weddings in one day with a car the size of a wheelie suitcase and that tests your nerve!

But the upside is that I now have a good practical van. Loads of room and fabulously signwritten. Look out for me in and around North Devon delivering flowers to all!

…and up pops Christmas

As per usual the year ended with Christmas! I have had a pop up Christmas Shop in Butchers Row, Barnstaple for the last 4 years but this year there was ‘no room at the Inn’. I frantically looked at other options and blindly followed others suggestion in trying Mill Street, Bideford instead. I was dubious. I know Butchers Row worked, Barnstaple is surely busier than Bideford, would people find me? But I needn’t have worried; Mill Street was amazing. I was so lucky to secure such a ‘pretty’ shop in such a good spot. Footfall was frantic and even though I was open two weeks less than last year I did just as well! So another big ‘Thank You’ if you were a Pop Up customer.

Wreath workshops? Well who knew they would prove to be so so popular. I ran seven workshops this year at five different locations. Some were sold out by October (Thank you Johns) All in all I taught 63 people how to make their own natural Christmas wreath. And feedback was tops – I even put out a questionnaire to see how it went and yet again another big ‘Thank You’ if you attended and said such nice words. 

‘The climb’

All in all 2019 was the busiest yet. Not all went according to plan, so much could have gone a lot better and I have had to learn from my mistakes in a costly manner. But I am proud of 2019 and buoyant for 2020. It may not turn out to be as busy as last year, but I know I enjoy what I do and what I can achieve.

The unlikely Miley Cyrus may have kick started this blog and she will also kick start my 2020 with some apt words of what lies ahead for me:

Watch this space….

The struggles I'm facing
The chances I'm taking
Sometimes might knock me down but
No I'm not breaking
I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I'm going to remember most yeah
Just got to keep going
And I
I gotta be strong
Just keep pushing on, 'cause

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb

Confetti - and the value of “Green”

“Red and yellow and pink and green. Purple and orange and blue. I can sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow too! ”

— Arthur Hamilton

When I was a little girl I was a very eager, but very average, pupil at the Brenda Stevens School of Dance. Twice a week I would skip happily along to classes in tap, ballet and modern theatre dance. I, along with millions of other little girls (and boys!) would dream of being a ballerina and twirling in a beautiful pink tutu on stage.  

Now, every four years the dance school would put on a full school recital at a local theatre. There would be months of rehearsals and mounting excitement. I would have been around seven years old when our tap class number was to be the “sing a rainbow” song. There was seven of us in the class and we were arranged in a line in descending height order. Now, not only was I average in dance ability but I was also average in height so I was right in the middle of the line. Our costumes were home made little dresses from satin lining material (oh so flammable!!) Starting from red on the left - I was to be ........ green! 

Suzanne, tall, leggy and blonde, was in striking red (coz she needed to be noticed that little bit more) Then sunshine yellow - all happy and shiny, Pink - every girls dream and envy (I had to stand next to her whilst looking like an offspring of Shrek! - actually Shrek hadn’t been invented then so it was more like kermit!) Vibrant purple - just like the Brazil nut in Quality Street, Orange (maybe not my second choice but at least it’s cheery!) and then cute little Melanie with her curls in a baby blue dress. Being average is not what it’s cracked up to be - it’s obviously stayed on my mind all this time!

Green as a colour in the natural world is everywhere. Trees, grass, leaves and stems. But it’s the other colours in nature that stand out and provoke memories:

Red rose petals - symbolic with love and romance. The cheery and vibrant yellow marigolds. Soft pinks of the elegant larkspur. Heritage sweet peas with hues of mauve and purple. The stand out orange candulas and the ever blue of the most popular cornflower. These are the flowers that make the real floral rainbow and all were growing in profusion this summer in my cutting patch  

The long hot summer put most of the flowering plants into overdrive. Bloom after bloom kept coming but they would also start to go over so quickly in the heat that it was sad to see them come and go without realising their full potential! So why not capture that beauty in an everlasting way by drying the petals to make natural confetti? 

Home grown and hand picked, the petals were dried either in racks in the greenhouse or in a dehydrater to fully dry without losing the natural colour.  

 Each colour way is stored separately so that they can be mixed to create different combinations. Custom mixed to match your wedding themes and colours. But the best thing about this confetti is not it’s colours but the fact it is totally 100% “green” and with no guilty conscience of the pretty littering they will leave behind.

If only my seven year old self knew the true value of “green” 

So don’t let your wedding be average - instead throw a rainbow of colour into the air like you just don’t care and sing that rainbow loud! ***

(***whilst being green and proud!)

Spring time wedding on the 'farm'

“In the Spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours”

— Mark Twain

Who doesn’t love spring? After the dark, cold wetness of winter we all love the fist glimpse of the sun, the first feeling of warmth and the first sighting of roadside daffodils. 

Spring flowers. They are just so god-dam cheerful. Bright cheery daffodils, bobbing bright tulips, scented hyacinths and the delicate ranunculous. What’s not to love. Put them altogether and they really are everyone’s favourite flowers.  

So take a bouquet of spring flowers, a sunny day, a beautiful ‘bride’ and (best of all) a cute four day old lamb and you get the happiest photoshoot ever! Or actually as we had the brilliant Katie on board it was the “best day ever”

Grace and Elegance supplied the bubbly smiling Katie with one of their beautiful bridal dresses. Wedding Belles and Isabella Grace worked their combined magic and produced pure gorgeousness. 

The Big Sheep were our hosts of the shoot and had built a brilliant straw and hay backdrop. The best.day.ever styling van turns up and like a Mary Poppins carpet bag, produces the most spot on props and styling. Add a good sprinkling of spring flowers and the result is the perfect setting for our star of the show: “Lottie the lamb”. He really was the most chilled out cuddly lamb ever. Stole the show with not a spot of lippy required.  

We were especially blessed to have Gavin Warland on board to capture all of this spring sensationalism.  

There's not a lot more I can say but just let these fabulous images do the talking.  

Wedding Flower Crowns

“With grace in her heart and flowers in her hair”

— Mumford and Sons

View fullsize

Flower crowns - I love them! They are so pretty, so delicate, so individual. Don't think of them as purely for flowergirls, they look equally stunning on a bride. 

There is a real trend currently growing for the bridal crown. This has been taken from the custom of wearing them at festivals where they are worn to symbolise the carefree nature of the countryside, the music, the relaxed vibe. And why shouldn't you take this relaxed - some may say bohemian - look into your wedding.

Of course flower crowns are not a new thing. Julius Caesar rocked a pretty good laurel crown back in the day. The Chinese had their own version using orange blossom which, as it blossoms and fruits at the same time, symbolises fertility. Queen Victoria borrowed this idea and wore an orange blossom flower crown for her wedding to the hunky Prince Albert. But I guess it's the hippy 60's we most associate with the flower crown and it's from there it transferred to mainstream fashion and weddings of today. 

View fullsize

So wear your crown with pride. Whether small and dainty or bold and beautiful, you can wear flowers in your hair and celebrate being 'you'

View fullsize

rustic flower crowns

The Friday Photograph - Oversized Bouquets

“if you are going to be thinking anyway, think big”

— Donald Trump

Now I'm not one for actually even listening to Donald Trump but I was rather surprised to come across this quote and find myself, heaven a bid, agreeing. But I'm pretty sure he was not referring to the oversized wedding bouquet. 

Sometimes, just sometimes, big is better and I for one am loving the trend for these bold and beautiful oversized wedding bouquets.

With a wild asymmetrical structure of flowing foliage and statement flowers they truly make a wow factor as you walk down that aisle. 

Now you don't need to go too mad - after all you will be holding it for quite a while during the day and you don't want a sprained wrist by the end of it. But actually stem wise they are not a lot heavier than a standard bouquet and also won't break the bank either!

Of course it's not for everyone, you need the confidence to carry it off so you still 'own' the look rather than the bouquet taking over. Wear a simple fitted dress and this beauty will finish the look. 

These are a couple I made recently on the Tallulah Rose wedding flower retreat. The white one is a real favourite for me. For more inspiration check out my pin board

So, let's say it together, big is beautiful!

and the winner is........

“I say luck is when an opportunity comes along and you are prepared for it”

— Denzel Washington

I never enter competitions, I never buy lotto tickets - I always feel the odds are always too highly stacked against me for it to be worth the effort. So why I went against this habit for the Tallulah Rose competition must demonstrate the appeal of the prize. I mean, three days in an amazing location, being taught by one of the best in the business surrounded by beautiful flowers - that would be the jackpot for me! Sparkford Hall Wedding Flower Course Retreat?  This Cinderella was up for it! 

So 200 words or less on why it should be me? Let's see...........

I'm a flower grower and florist.

I spend time with dirt filled fingernails willing seedlings to grow, cursing slugs and rabbits and celebrating when I get the blooms. 

I spend time tweeting, facebooking, instagramming - spreading the word of British flowers.

I spend time talking 'jam-jar weddings' to brides and juggling quotes because they're on a 'budget'

I spend time studying Pinterest pictures, deciphering how to deliver bride's dream weddings

I spend silly-o'clock mornings in all weathers cutting and conditioning flowers

I spend time marketing my business - on my own tight budget

I spend time convincing my husband its a viable business

I spend time doing this with two preschool boys

I spend time doing all of this because I absolutely love flowers with a passion.

What I do not spend time doing, what I've never spent time doing, is learning how to arrange show-stopping flowers in a spectacular house by one of the best and having portfolio pictures to show for it.

For the experience, the confidence, the reassurance from fellow florists and, honestly, for the reward and touch of glamour the course would give me - I would love to 'spend time' at Sparkford Hall.

and guess what? I only went and won it!!!

Sparkford Hall here I come......

May the 4th - a Star Wars wedding?

“Sometimes you must let go of your pride and do what is asked of us”

— Anakin Skywalker, Episode 2: Attack of the Clones

So they are a Star Wars nerd. You've accepted that, you find it kind of endearing. Well it's better than being into fly fishing - right? But what happens when they want a Star Wars wedding? 

Not quite what you had in mind eh? But worry not as "fear is the path to the dark side" as Yoda once said. You can include the Star Wars world into your big day without dressing like Darth Vader or wearingbagels in your hair (remember that episode of Friends!) 

Some subtle inclusions of galactical fun could actually make your big day truly unique and be a real reflection of your personalities. I've put a little Pinterest board together of some ideas I came across that are actually quite sweet. But how far you go to include the trilogy and beyond is up to you - and your obsessed partner. With Hans and Leia, Luke and Mara and even R2-D2 and C-3PO showing us how it is done there is always room for love and romance what ever Galaxy you live in. 

Mind you if you have your eye on Mr Hamill himself you may have some competition from the obsessed Sara. Check out her hilarious Instagram feed or through her blog. 

Photo by Tim Lamerton

The Friday Photograph - the 1950s one

“Marriage is a great institution”

— Elizabeth Taylor

The 1950's. The decade of the first organ transplant, colour TV, the credit card, the opening of Disneyland, trials of birth control pills and the coronation of Queen Elizabeth.

All these key events are still heavily influencing society today and have really shaped the culture of the world we are currently living in. 

And no one can forget the style and glamour of the brides of the 1950's. Grace Kelly, Marilyn  Monroe (twice!) Jackie Kennedy, Elizabeth Taylor (twice!) ....and my mum..... 

I met a bride to be and her intended this week who are recreating a wedding from the 50's. A beautiful rural setting so think 'Darling Buds of May' with buckets and baskets full of frothy English flowers. They're paying such attention to detail so I wanted to look into the bridal party flowers of the day. What was en vogue and sought after of that era. 

The look is informal and country. The palette is pastels of blues, pinks, yellows. An English country garden transported into the wedding. For a sneak look at some visuals I have put together a Pinterest  board 
In the main, high street florists were the only vendors of flowers. Dutch imports didn't start until the 1970s and growers were mostly regional. Florists purchased flowers from growers and wholesalers within 25 miles of their stores, and, sometimes, there were florists who were selling their own flowers they had grown themselves! (Imagine that? It will never catch on.....!) Internet searches show that, generally, flowers were white with very little additional colour. They were also seasonal as the flower import market was yet to take off. Lily of the valley in spring, maybe roses in summer but lilies and carnations were common place as grown in hot houses across the country. 

Asparagus fern was the foliage of choice, more often than not cascading through a shower bouquet. Gardenias and orchids featured in the celebrity bouquets but my mums bridal shower was .... shhh dare I say it ..... artificial! 

At least Marilyn Monroe would have been proud of her footwear! 

“I don’t know who invented high heels, but all women owe him a lot”

— Marilyn Monroe

Should Pinterest or your personality shape your wedding?

“If you do not express your own original ideas, if you do not listen to your own being, you will have betrayed yourself”

— Rollo May

I love Pinterest, I waste many an hour browsing through pictures of .... well just about anything. From gardens to kids crafts, campervans to wedding bouquets. It's an amazing source of images and articles in an easy accessible form that can be organised and kept for future instant recap

I also use it lots when I'm meeting and speaking with brides to be. It's a perfect way to get across pictorially the bouquets they like, their style, theme and thinking behind the wedding.  

But is it realistic? Is it achievable? And rather than giving ideas is it not just copying others ideas rather than encouraging original thought?

Images on Pinterest are the 'best of the best'. A majority of them are taken by professional photographers during photo shoots where the lighting is perfect, the models are beautiful, the budgets are astronomical and it all comes together to make an amazing 'wow' image that we fall in love with. But do we stop and think how that image captured in Southern California, in near perfect weather after hours of set up, make up artists and photo editing will look when recreated in wet windy north Devon?

We all want a fairytale wedding with towering cakes, 5ft high floral arrangements and designer gowns but unless we have a real 'prince' charming to finance it we have to be more realistic. Of course there are some great budget conscious ideas on Pinterest but are they your ideas or someone else's? 

I'm often sent the same images from brides to be of wannabe bouquets, centrepieces and arches. So how unique is your one special day going to be if you are merely copying ideas of others. 

Does your intended really love burlap and bunting? Yes it creates a beautiful rustic charm, but does it truly reflect what you and your partner are really about? Does it show your own individuality? Does it reflect your personality?

Of course use Pinterest to capture those great ideas and photos. But make sure they are reflecting what you truly love rather than poster pin ups of the best.  

Take inspiration from other things around you. That garden you pass everyday on the way to work that always catches your eye, your favourite dress at the back of the wardrobe that doesn't fit any more, but you can't throw away because the colour is delicious. That restaurant you went to with your fiancé last year on holiday that you still talk about. All these things are a true reflection of you and your fiancés personalities and loves and they should help shape the wedding of your dreams.

After all, do you want your guests to come to your wedding and look at your set up and say 'lovely - it looks just like that picture I saw on Pinterest' or do you want them to take one look and say 'wow' that is so 'you'!

Six ways to make the most of Pinterest when planning your wedding:

1 Manage your expectations
We can all be guilty of champagne taste with a sparkling water budget. Keep your budget in mind when your start pinning images. And don't forget seasonality - peonies may look beautiful but are very expensive out of season. 

2. Leave room for own style and ideas
Upload your own images rather than just repinning other people's images. You can add a Pinterest option to your uploads direct from your photo library

3. Use non wedding related Pinterest boards
Variety is key. Take inspiration from other streams such as travel, interior design or fashion. 

4. Include your offline life
You do have an offline life don't you?! Do you and your partner have a shared interest in theatre or 80's music or even rugby? Try and incorporate these shared interests into your wedding to make it truly unique. 

5. Narrow it down
It's very easy to get carried away and find you have hundreds of images. You need to get strict and delete, delete, delete. Hone the images down to less than, say, twenty and then you will have a clear vision of what you are wanting to achieve

6. Stick to it
Once you have your board - stop pinning! Move on to planning and physically doing else there won't be a real wedding to enjoy!

The Friday Photograph - the Preparation One

“Spectacular achievement is always preceded by unspectacular preparation”

— Robert H Schuller

I like tidy. I border a little on OCD when it comes to my workspaces. But when there is a big job coming up my workshop seems to shrink and bursts at the seems with buckets, blooms and bouquets. 

This is the unorganised chaos of colour and scent that is currently filling my workshop ahead of a busy floral weekend. Check out the social media channels of Church Park Flowers over the next couple of weeks to see what "spectacular achievement" was created out of this "unspectacular preparation"

instagram / twitter / facebook

View fullsize

The Friday Photograph - the One of Me

“Who sees the human face correctly: the photographer, the mirror or the painter?”

— Pablo Picasso

This week's Friday Photograph has been triggered by a blogger that I follow; Me and Orla. Sara is a real whizz when it comes to anything Instagram or photography related, and when she posted a blog a couple of weeks ago about 'putting yourself in the picture' it struck a chord. 

I am always more comfortable about sharing pictures of my flowers and letting them 'sell' the story and speak for themselves. But of course there is much more to 'Church Park Flowers' than just the flowers and I must show my face occasionally to show that, obviously, there are people behind the scenes squirrelling away - planting, weeding, watering, picking, creating and delivering. So....... Here I am! 

'Modelling' a bouquet and flower crown that I made for a recent wedding fayre, you can just about make me out. The flowers still take centre stage, but firstly I am more comfortable with that and actually they should be the focus!

The Friday Photograph - the First One.

“I like to challenge myself. I like to learn - so I like to try new things and try to keep growing.
”

— David Schwimmer

I have a long list of blogs to write. Some are just ideas, some for future use, some are drafted out and others as good as completed just waiting for the right time to post. But scheduling is something I have yet to master and I am acutely aware that this blog page seems a little neglected - a little forgotten - and it needs some attention, some content, some interest. So I have set myself a little challenge. A blog series called 'The Friday Photograph'

This will 'challenge' me on a number of levels and serve several purposes;

1) it ensures more regular and up to date posts. 

This is good for me and you. Hopefully for you it will give a greater insight into the world of Church Park Flowers. In return I hope to see what posts are popular, find out what people like and what people like to know.

2) it will help give me more confidence in my writing

Writing does not come naturally to me, by making myself regular pen something - albeit short - I hope to become more comfortable with the written prose

3) it will chart my planned improvement in photography 

Good images are essential on a website, and more so when illustrating a creative art such as floristry. I am determined to improve my photographic record of behind the scenes and 'front of house' images of Church Park Flowers. By putting them under a series heading it will be easier to map any progress made

So the First One is a picture I took last week of a spring arrangement I made for a couple of wedding fairs.

I really like how this arrangement turned out. The container is a copper footed urn found in a charity shop. Asymmetrical arrangements are on trend right now and I think they work so well with natural and seasonal flowers. The shape mirrors so well how these flowers and foliage would be found in the garden and hedgerows in early spring.

Narcissi, primroses tulips and ranunculus nestle in with foliage, twigs and even feathers to create a tableau of spring.

The photo is taken on my iPhone against the battered door of the workshop. The door may be 'distressed' but I like the rustic look it gives to the image.

So.... The gauntlet is down, I have started the Friday Photograph blog series. Let's see where it takes us.