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…..

Musings of flustered florist: January

“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language, and next year’s words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning.”

— T S Elliot

New year. Fresh start. Clean slate. Big ideas. High expectations. Let’s do this…….

Of course that was the vibe in week one. Well, week two actually as I took an extended Christmas break to recover from the whirlwind of 2021. It was a very intense year and it almost broke me, definitely a learning curve not to be repeated. New notebook and great intentions were the way forward for 2022. 

The first problem was that the 2021 me wasn’t notified of this mindset and literally did a runner from the shop on the 23 December. Cue opening the shop door two and a half weeks later to be greeted by what can only be described as a scene from the “morning after the night before”. The floor was strewn with foliage, orange slices were still trying their best to freshen the air and of course pine needles everywhere. And I mean everywhere! Pieces of paper with random cryptic notes written on them and fairy lights twinkling half heartedly. 2022 me was not impressed. Not the fresh start I was hoping to embrace. 

A week of cleaning, mopping, sorting and tidying and the shop has once again taken on the look of a vibrant fresh space. Lots of new houseplants, bulbs, pots and vases. Perfect for filling those spaces left in your house when Christmas trees and decorations have vacated for the year. 

January is notoriously a quiet month in retail. Not a lot of footfall to break up the day. There has been a very repetitive, too frequent playing accordion player on the street - but trust me when I say that doesn’t float my boat. But there has been weddings. Actually five weddings in the first month, all small affairs, but a good gentle introduction to the year. Wedding one was a gorgeous dried flower event. It was also rather nerve wracking as the bride-to-be was a wedding photographer - and a very good one too - so of course she has seen a lot of wedding florals in her time and knows exactly what she wants hers to look like. The bar may have been set high but I leapt it well. They looked great and needless to say to the bride loved them! Weddings are a go go for 2022. 

Burgundy, coral, white and ivory were the colour themes for the rest of the months weddings and it’s been wonderful to have some variety and play with seasonal offerings in what is sometimes seen as a “difficult” month. British spring flowers are coming through so expect to see plenty of them in the shop over the coming weeks. 

The key word for January has been “admin”. I don’t mind confessing that admin is not one of my favourite pastimes. Why spend time typing emails when I could be playing with flowers. But emails don’t go away if ignored, therefore many an hour has been spent catching up on correspondence, quotes, invoices and consultations. It’s the backbone of what I do and definitely one of my resolutions to improve on in 2022. In all honesty I probably could do with a VA to help with email management for me so if you know of any admin angels that could help please send them my way?

I have many grand plans for 2022 and lots of new initiatives and adventures scribbled in the new notebook. But I’ll drip feed them out to you as the year goes on. No point in telling you everything now as have to keep the suspense up all year!

I have found some new exciting suppliers for this year. Boy, I can get carried away over a beautifully photographed trade catalogue. I’ve got some draft orders put together so hopefully there will be amazing new stock in during the spring.  Think French brocante style for inside and out, revamp that outdoor space or even just a windowsill. And there are new designs and ranges coming of the already popular botanical gifts I stock. I’m so impatient to see it all come together. One of my plans for 2022 is to increase my non plant and flower offerings. As hopefully the high street comes back to life after the “covid pause” we can tempt more people to shop local and support all the fabulous independent businesses Bideford has to offer. 

Scarily, January is pretty much been and gone. Yes it’s a cold and quiet month but sometimes we need that pause in the mayhem to stop and evaluate where we are. Look at where we’ve been and where we want to go. As I said at the beginning I have big ideas and high expectations and I’m relying on the 2022 me to deliver them. She better not let me down!

“Daylight, I must wait for the sunrise
I must think of a new life
And I mustn’t give in
When the dawn comes tonight will be a memory too
And a new day will begin”

— T S Elliot (Cats)

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.

Adapting a flower business in a changing environment

“It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change”

— Charles Darwin

I am a florist

I love flowers

I love creating beautiful things with flowers

These statements are the “root” of my business. They are the “seed” it has all started from. I had no real business plan when I started in how exactly my life would pan out. I had no five year goals or written documents. I loved flowers. I wanted to work with flowers. Let’s just take it from there....

But my floral business has taken a number of changes of direction along the way. And not always of my choosing. 

Although I’ve always loved flowers and had a pipe dream of being a florist, it was just a lucky chance that got me in. My main career path was as a Marketing professional for a number of companies in London and France but an amazing opportunity came up when I was living in London fifteen years ago that saw me go from almost zero experience to having my own business on the King Road, Chelsea. It was a steep learning curve but with the uber rich and famous as my customers it wasn’t hard to succeed. I mainly sold loose flowers, a few last minute weddings at the Chelsea Registry Office across the road. Some commissions for Keihls and Heals department store and the Manila Blanik Store.  Add a sprinkling of Russian oligarchs and some top A listers (Bob Geldof, Mark Owen, Tara Palmer Tompkinson, Felicity Kendal to name drop a few) and I had myself a decent florist business. I often worked 7 days a week, three of which started at 3 am to visit the flower market. But I learnt loads - sometimes the hard way - but it was an amazing grounding. 

Then twelve years ago we moved to North Devon and the concept of a luxury florist to the rich and famous wasn’t really going to work! No offence but it is a different environment! 

I went back to the “real world” of Marketing but missed my flowers. 

It was the chance reading of an article in a Sunday paper that got my mind whirring again. I read about flower farms and people sowing and selling British flowers. I loved the idea and read everything I could about it. We had the land, we had the polytunnel, I loved flowers - I just needed to persuade the husband this was a viable business idea (not having a husband previously meant I never had to justify my actions but now it seemed a husband was as bad as a business manager!)

I sowed, I grew, I failed, I grew again. Friends asked me to do their wedding flowers and bit by bit there was another “seedling” of a business. Fast forward three years and I have really “branched” out. 

You’ll need to read my previous blog to see where the florist business was in 2019 and how far it had “grown”

But then 2020 came along and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out that the current plan is starting to “wilt”. 

My crystal ball was not performing as it should when I decided to open a florist shop in Bideford in March. I’d always worked from a workshop at home but after a very successful pop up Christmas shop in Bideford (see another previous blog!) the time seemed right to go High Street full time!  My little blue flower shop opened its doors on the 7 March....... and then closed them again two weeks later on the 22 March (at least I saw Mother’s Day!)

I had around 40 weddings on the books for this year - with enquiries still coming in and then…..

Lockdown.

So, no shop and of course no weddings for the foreseeable. Was this another attack of the aphids on my flourishing floral business ideas?

Initially I turned my back on it and went back to being a full time mum and “teacher” ( oh and catering manager - who knew two boys could eat so much!) but I found myself reading so many heart lifting stories of businesses that had adapted to today’s environment and changed the way they worked, their product offering, their way of working. From Dyson hoovers to ventilators, Tarquins Gin to hand sanitiser, the local pub doing home meal deliveries - it seemed that the best business owners were standing up, brushing themselves down and thinking “right, what next?” They weren't sitting in their pjs watching Joe Wicks, they weren’t scrolling mindlessly through pointless Facebook posts, they weren’t justifying buying more wine as “essential”. They were looking at new business opportunities.

Overnight it seemed the world went online. There were videos, podcasts and tutorials galore. Could I be part of that?  My tech skills are rather limited, resources low and I don’t have the confidence to appear on camera for all to see. I wrote a blog (yes another one for you to read!) on creating your own Easter centrepiece. Give it a go - it doesn’t just have to be for Easter! I feel static image tutorials may be limited as flower arranging is such a visual and creative pastime. So although I have a few more in draft, I’m not sure it’s the right path for me at the moment. 

The turning point was that my fabulous supplier had too adapted and could courier flowers to me. As a big commercial grower of British flowers they had the stock and the means of transporting it. 

The BFA (British Florists Association) had consulted the Government and confirmed that florists could still operate using online means and practise safe delivery methods. I set up new payment systems so I can take money via secure links in texts and emails and looked at the safest delivery practises.

The result: Hand tied bouquets of beautiful British blooms delivered on Fridays across North Devon. No plastic is used, obviously great for the environment, but delivering them straight from water meant they were safe to handle. 

Ideal for birthdays, anniversary day, miss you days and thank you days. In these tough times we all need a bit of cheering up and it’s a three way thing. The sender feels happy they can send some joy, I’m happy to be back with my beloved flowers and the recipient? Well, the smile on their face says it all. 

I’m also doing more funeral work, not that I didn’t before, but it was hard to fit in around all the weddings. I actually enjoy funeral work. It can be very therapeutic, very creative, and you are doing something that again is made with love and brings joy. I speak with the families and learn about the one they have lost. There is often a story behind the flowers that are used; the husband who had no idea of colour and would wear clashing clothes - reflected in a bright and bold casket spray. The grandmother that loved the primroses in the hedgerows and now has them in her wreath.  And it’s not the sad, topical deaths that we hear the daily statistics about. It’s very much the “tide comes in, tide goes out” funerals which just reminds us that life, and death, goes on regardless and there is something strangely comforting about that.

I am a florist

I love flowers

I love creating beautiful things with flowers. 

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.

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!)

Wedding Flower Crowns

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

— Mumford and Sons

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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. 

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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'

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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 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. 

Clearing the annuals.....

“Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.” 
― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

 As summer draws to a close (sorry!) it’s time to say good bye to last year’s annuals. These have been my floral stewards over the last five months and it is a bittersweet exercise when pulling them up.

They have faithfully provided colour, scent and beautiful blooms for all manner of requests over the summer. The birthday bouquets, the thank you bouquets, the blue cornflowers and nigella for the nautical themed weddings, the brighter bolder zinnias for the mid summer buttonholes and the scented sweetpeas nestled in bridal bouquets.

As they are pulled from their spots I make mental notes for next year plantings. Definitely yes to more larkspur - Long lasting stems in mauves, purples, whites and pinks. Save space for the ever favourite cornflowers – the blues win hand down on popularity and vibrancy. Need to include more colours for the antirrhinums. (Only had deep crimson and a few white ‘snapdragons’ this year) Jury still out on the zinnias. They win ‘most colourful annual’ award hands down – but not popular for brides unless the Caribbean them takes off in 2016. Dill flowers will appear again as I love the zingy yellow that works so well with other colour palates and adds a spicy scent to bunches of blooms. Cleome?? What were they thinking when they recommend it as a cut flower? Yes it looks impressive but those thorns?! Really? They are killers on your hands. Don’t want the dry-cleaning bill as they prick the finger of a bride in pure white! Escholias, again look great in the beds – but no real staying power for the vase. Must remember to pinch out cosmos next year as picking from 6 foot high plants is no easy task! The sunflowers are still giving so can stay put for now. As can my years favourite – the daucus. The colour, the shape and the generosity of this annual makes it my current favourite. Still producing well in the outside beds it pairs perfectly with dusky pink hydrangeas that are still looking good. (If anyone is looking for a gift in the next few weeks this would make a fabulous long lasting floral arrangement or bouquet – hint hint).

The nice part about clearing the annuals is that it is not a hard task. No deep roots to dig out you can literally just tug them up and chop them into the compost heaps. So at least they are not wasted on any level. You can then clear some beds in super quick time and get them dug and raked over ready for the next ‘guests’.  ………to be continued

Being Bridal at Bracken House

"When April blows his horn, Tis good for both hay and corn" Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady.

I've not seen the film (or even actually read the book!) but I'm sure that Bracken House would be the perfect location for the book. A gorgeous former Edwardian rectory, Bracken House offers the perfect venue for an intimate country house wedding. The ever fab Blue Fizz Events leapt into action to perfectly encapsulate the look, vibe and aspirations of this edge of Exmoor setting.

Honoured to be invited to do the flowers, I got the chance to be featured with some true bridal style from Lily and Louie and Lottie the dog!

Matt Stockman (of Photo Booth fame!) perfectly captured this quintessential Edwardian era style wedding. I'm sure you'll agree his photos are exquisite. And of course guest star my flowers!

Thank you to all involved (and apologies to any missing tags!)

​http://www.brackenhouse.co.uk/

http://www.bluefizzevents.co.uk/

http://www.lilyandlouie.com/

http://www.mattstockman.co.uk/

Ahoy my hearties!

Ahoy my hearties! Had a fabulous day out at the Clovelly Nautical and Vintage Wedding Fair. Superbly organised by Blue Fizz Events it was a totally stylish occasion. Two stunning marquees filled with all manner of vintage inspiration for the bride to be! Cakes, dresses, photo booths, headdresses and porta loos! Everything a bride desires!

Made my little space work hard for me with nautical floral inspired creations. Bouquet of sea holly, cream lizzies, thlapsi green bell (As used in Kate Moss’s wedding bouquet!) and little seashells wired in. Loosely arranged in a natural look tied with a jaunty blue and white striped ribbon – looked great with Lily and Louie’s vintage dressed bride in the ‘pop up’ catwalk show. Mirrored these flowers in a simple hand tied posy presented in a kilner jar – again tied with the stripped ribbon. Simple, effective and great for DIY budget brides!

Met some lovely people – with some wonderful positive feedback. Fingers crossed for some bridal enquiries as would love to recreate these ship-shape seaside stunners!