Flowery loveliness

I have been working more and more lately and gaining more experience and knowledge of the floristry business. It is a very tiring job that takes its toll physically and mentally but I still want to go back the next day and carry on being creative with lovely flowers (must be a good sign hey?). What I like most of all is making things that share your design aesthetics , I was lucky enough to make some bouquets for a wedding where the brief stated 'a meadowy just picked look'... this is my favourite look of all they included Dill, Mint, Cornflowers, Daisies and Larkspur and simply tied with raffia I loved making these and I hope you think they are beautiful too.

 

Inspiration

Work has now begun at our allotment space in so far as the weeds have gone and there is a space that looks remotely capable of growing something. We have already met a few of the other plot owners and they all seem very generous with both knowledge and surplus food, we have been given potatoes, lettuce, courgettes, raspberries and gooseberries yum!
With such a blank canvas I am searching for inspiration as what to do with the space, I would like both flowers and vegetables to grow together whist also wanting it to be a beautiful environment to be in.
The thing that sets allotments apart from your own back garden is the sense of community they create and I like the idea of generations of knowledge being passed on and for me, I feel inspired walking around and seeing what other people are growing and imagining what we could have this time next year.
I came across this fabulous site called The Edible Bus Stop which demonstrates how growing can give people a physical and psychological boost. Below is a picture of one of the amazing spaces created.

herbs, flowers and homeopathy

I have this beautiful book dating back to 1826, I wonder about it's history, who held it before me and what recipes were made and used most if at all. I found it in a book shop, selling off old books 3 for £1, I whipped this up. Curious how many more astronomical signs there are there in comparison to the ones spoken about now. I shall try one of the syrups and let you know how it goes. I am a big fan of using natural ingredients to sort something if you can.

Good weekend to you all

Helen

stress

Helen

I have come back off a holiday and reluctantly settled into a habit of procrastination due to the ever burdening realisation that we are moving house and I must pack up all my treasures. I hate moving house because of all the belongings I have, but I love objects and things, beautiful things. William Morris once said "have nothing in your house which you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful" trouble is I find everything both beautiful and useful. 

In amongst my mayhem and panic I have discovered the sweet peas I am growing in doors have begun to show their beauty and my first flower is poking it's petals out, I felt happy and peaceful for a moment and forgot the feeling I have had these past few days.

Caroline

As a way to escape the rat race and pressures of life I decided to take on an allotment space (the sunshine does crazy things to you). In my head I have visions of the space looking something along these lines...

And for it to eventually feature in a book similar to this one however the reality is this...

My budget is pretty much £0.00 and I will likely have to resort to begging, stealing and borrowing but when you have an assistant like this it cant be all bad.

flowers from Penrith

my post this week is a little late as I've been away on a little trip/holiday, apologies

here are a view photographs from some beautiful flowers I was camping next to in a field in Penrith which is in the Lake District

hope you are having a lovely weekend

Helen

Heatwave

Caroline

I hope you are all enjoying the amazing weather, who knows how long it will last but I feel that summer has arrived and with it an array of jewel colours in the garden that can only belong to this fleeting time of year. Heres a few pictures of the things making me smile at the moment.

Helen

We have been so incredibly fortunate to be enjoying a weeks holiday at the moment during a time in which the UK is experiencing a 'proper' summer. I am having a lovely break and have been travelling around the North, from Lincolnshire to Bramley to Ilkely to Ramsbottom to Penwortham to Charnock Richard to Penrith and then back home to Crosby.

During a walk in Ilkey we went across the tops to Addingham and walked in an area known for wild Orchids. We saw the beautiful Dactylorhiza purpurella (northern marsh orchid) it was a spectacular sight.

My flower (sort of) inspiration

Before floristry I studied Fine art and even then I had a obsession with all things floral. This led me on to working in a school Art department at which I was fortunate to take part in many workshops, I  always enjoyed drawing and printmaking but had never tried wood engraving until last year. As with many forms of printinmaking this requires a lot of patience and concentration with many hours devoted to a tiny piece of wood with every tiny mark being significant. Although I enjoyed studying floristry I am glad that I have some free time available now to concentrate on other projects.
This is the result of my first attempt at wood engraving, my inpriation came from a little radish that I grew.

scent

 

Does anything really compare to the smell of unpicked or freshly picked naturally grown unforced flowers, you can't beat it. Some times some flowers that are known for their smells can often because of how they are grown, out of season for forced production, lose their smell and this saddens me. One of the best things about flowers is their natural smell. Predictable maybe but lavender has to be one of my favourite smells, I love the smell of wax flower (Chamelaucium) too. 

What's your favourite smelling flower, foliage, plant or herb?

Growth

Caroline

Growth a noun meaning amongst other things;

the act or process, or a manner of growing; development; gradual increase.

To me the above sentence relates to many aspects of what it is or means to “grow your own”. I enjoy the satisfaction of picking edibles or beautiful things from the garden and wish to do this wonderful course sometime soon.

Helen

new growth and old

speed of growth varies, an avocado takes around 7 years to fruit, a lemon 2 years and mint is ready within a few months, all of which no matter the time taken to produce give great satisfaction

avocado
lemon
mint

The language of Flowers and whats in the garden

I am very proud that at the moment my Sunflowers are starting to bloom, I have grown these from a seed something which I have never achieved before.

For me, some things are intended for the vase however  I will leave these in the garden for the bees to feast upon as they also seem to be a fan.
As well as appreciating the beauty of flowers I am also interested in their meanings or symbolisms, in The Language of Flowers book (Helen kindly bought me) this flower symbolises false riches and was seen as gaudy and vulgar and banished to cottage gardens with fans of the Sunflower being deemed as false and superficial, all I can say is Oscar Wilde was a fan and I am too.

Making the most of my bud vase, Sweet peas picked from the garden today.

jam jar lids for flowers

I have made these recently inspired by an Ikebana style of arranging, I have seen something similar on another site somewhere a few months back but can't remember where. They are made with crank clay, I rolled the clay out and then placed a piece of lace over the top and rolled that lightly to leave the impression behind. I then added some holes so flowers and foliage can be placed in. They have a lip underneath that means they won't fall off the jar and I've made them so they fit on to most any jar in the home really. These aren't fired so can't use them properly yet, I shall fire them and then away I go, with all sorts of minimal arrangements and what a perfect way to reuse jars.

last day

the theme this week was 'last day' because it quite literally tied in with our final day on our floristry diploma, so together we made some little jam jar posy's that were given away to a few helpful people we have met along the way, the top posy was made by me, helen, and the bottom one made by Caroline. 

posy one contents:

Alchemilla mollis,

Eustoma,

Ruscus,

Rosemary

posy two contents:

Alchemilla mollis,

Delphinium,

Iris,

Aster

Choosing the right vessel

This post is dedicated to my love of collecting things to put flowers in. Whether its a new vase from a florist, high street shop or a charity shop find (my favourite) I love collecting and thanks to the fabulous Flower Recipe Book  I can justify my addiction.
The book has step by step guides to creating amazing arrangements and has sections on everything you need to get started including choosing the right vessel.  Below are a few photos of things I have acquired over the years and I am pleased to say that they are mentioned in the book.
I highly recommend purchasing this book and collecting beautiful things to put beautiful flowers in.
Happy collecting!